Shakira avoids jail time
Shakira: Singer settles Spanish tax fraud case with €7.5m fine
Colombian pop star Shakira has reached a deal with Spanish prosecutors to settle a tax fraud case, just as her trial was about to begin.
The singer has paid a €7.5m (£6.5m) fine - prosecutors had wanted to jail her for eight years and fine her €23.8m (£20.8m) if found guilty.
She had faced tax fraud allegations for €14.5m (£12.7m) in a Barcelona court.
Shakira, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, said she settled "with the best interest of my kids at heart".
In a lengthy statement, she said her children "do not want to see their mom sacrifice her personal well-being in this fight".
The performer had previously rejected a deal offered by prosecutors, instead opting to go to trial.
"Throughout my career, I have always strived to do what's right and set a positive example for others," she said.
"Unfortunately, and despite these efforts, tax authorities in Spain pursued a case against me as they have against many professional athletes and other high-profile individuals, draining those people's energy, time, and tranquillity for years at a time.
"While I was determined to defend my innocence in a trial that my lawyers were confident would have ruled in my favour, I have made the decision to finally resolve this matter with the best interest of my kids at heart who do not want to see their mom sacrifice her personal well-being in this fight."
She added she needed to "move past the stress and emotional toll of the last several years and focus on the things I love - my kids and all the opportunities to come in my career".
Dispute over residency
At the centre of this row is Shakira's residency status between 2012 and 2014, when prosecutors alleged that she was living in Spain but listing her official residence elsewhere.
Under Spanish law, people who spend more than six months in the country are considered residents for tax purposes. But Shakira says Spain was not where she was mainly living at the time.
In July, prosecutors issued a document which claimed that she bought a house in Barcelona in 2012, which became a family home for her and her then-partner, Barcelona footballer Gerard Piqué.
Her lawyers have said that up until 2014 most of her income came from international tours and she spent long chunks of time outside of Spain.
"The Spanish tax authorities saw that I was dating a Spanish citizen and started to salivate. It's clear they wanted to go after that money no matter what", she told Elle magazine.
Shakira declared Spain to be her place of residence for tax purposes in 2015. She said she has paid €17.2m (£15m) in tax and has no outstanding debts.
In a separate case in 2019, Mr Piqué was fined €2.1m (£1.8m) by the Spanish national court for evading tax between 2008 and 2010.
The couple announced in early June that they had split up after 11 years. They have two sons together, aged seven and nine.
Are Pique and Shakira on the verge of splitting up? "She caught him with someone else" https://t.co/oDFrbYjHt8
— English in Madrid (@madteacher72) June 2, 2022
Team Shakira orTeam Pique (or neither)?
Yet more footballers in court over tax
Barça star Messi given 21-month jail sentence for tax fraud https://t.co/VUQplirwv7
— English in Madrid (@madteacher72) July 6, 2016
BBC News - Messi summons over Spain tax fraud http://t.co/fQSwl5RdUS It seems that every week someone is accused of corruption. Who's next?
— English in Madrid (@madteacher72) June 20, 2013
Comments
The performer singer has paid a €7.5m fine to avoid jail, after the Colombian pop star has reached a deal with Spanish prosecutors, but Shakira says that it´s unfair. The matter is about if Shakira was living in Spain more than six months. Whether a foreigner remains in Spanish territory more than 183 days, the Spanish legislation reckons that he has residency status, so he must pay taxes in Spain. Therefore, the Spanish prosecutor, that is, the Tax Office, said that Shakira was living in Spain between 2012 and 2014.
After I have read her statements and the facts described in this page, I have founded doubts that the performer singer was guilty. First, because it´s very difficult to prove that this kind of professionals is living in a certain place, so they are in all places of the world. Second, she knew the Spanish legislation, due to she has much money to deal lawyers. Third, because it has been easy to reach a deal with her, what can prove that the Tax Office only wants her money. This is my opinion.
It´s more advantageous for her to pay a €7.5m fine than to support a lot of criticisms in the media against her.
See you.
Happy Christmas to you and yours. I hope you had a fabulous time.
I think you are being too generous. Shakira was rightly found guilty and she still claims she was hard done by. My heart bleeds.
The performer singer has paid a €7.5m fine to avoid jail, after the Colombian pop star reached a deal with Spanish prosecutors, but Shakira says that it´s unfair. The crux of the matter is whether Shakira was living in Spain more than six months. If a foreigner remains in Spanish territory more than 183 days, the Spanish legislation reckons (informal) that he has residency status, so he must pay taxes in Spain. Therefore (formal), the Spanish prosecutor, that is, the Tax Office, said that Shakira had been living in Spain between 2012 and 2014.
After I read her statements and the facts described in this page, I had doubts that the performer singer was guilty. First, because it´s very difficult to prove that this kind of professionals live in a certain place as they travel all over the world. Second, she knew the Spanish legislation, . Third, because it has been easy to reach a deal with her, this proves that the Tax Office only wants her money. This is my opinion.
It´s more advantageous for her to pay a €7.5m fine than to tolerate a lot of criticism against her in the media.