Shakira's hips famously do not lie, but according to the Spanish government, her taxes papers might have. A Spanish court dismissed the pop star's appeal in a tax fraud case today (May 26), opening the door for a potential trial after a judge previously concluded that there was enough evidence suggesting that Shakira may have intentionally dodged her financial obligations to the state.
As reported by Billboard, the case first surfaced back in December of 2018 after Spanish prosecutors charged the Colombian singer for failing to pay 14.5 million euros (approx. $19.8 million CAD) in taxes on income earned between 2012 and 2014.
A major aspect of the case is in regards to Shakira's official place of residence, due to the fact that prosecutors allege she lived mostly in Spain — where she was famously robbed by a wild boar in 2021 — at the time, despite having an official residence in the Bahamas.
Today, the court said the evidence suggests Shakira was "a habitual resident in Spain," stating that documentation had failed to verify her residence for tax purposes in another country. They also upheld a ruling made in July by Spanish Judge Marco Juberías that found "sufficient evidence of criminality" for the case to go to trial.
Shakira's PR team said today that she'd immediately paid the amount owing once she'd been informed of the tax debt by Spain's Tax Office. "Shakira's conduct on tax matters has always been impeccable in all the countries where she has had to pay taxes, and she has trusted and faithfully followed the recommendations of the best specialists and expert advisors," Shakira's team said in a statement.
She faces a possible fine and a prison sentence if found guilty of tax evasion, though a judge can decide to waive prison time for first-time offenders if they're being sentenced to less than two years behind bars.
As reported by Billboard, the case first surfaced back in December of 2018 after Spanish prosecutors charged the Colombian singer for failing to pay 14.5 million euros (approx. $19.8 million CAD) in taxes on income earned between 2012 and 2014.
A major aspect of the case is in regards to Shakira's official place of residence, due to the fact that prosecutors allege she lived mostly in Spain — where she was famously robbed by a wild boar in 2021 — at the time, despite having an official residence in the Bahamas.
Today, the court said the evidence suggests Shakira was "a habitual resident in Spain," stating that documentation had failed to verify her residence for tax purposes in another country. They also upheld a ruling made in July by Spanish Judge Marco Juberías that found "sufficient evidence of criminality" for the case to go to trial.
Shakira's PR team said today that she'd immediately paid the amount owing once she'd been informed of the tax debt by Spain's Tax Office. "Shakira's conduct on tax matters has always been impeccable in all the countries where she has had to pay taxes, and she has trusted and faithfully followed the recommendations of the best specialists and expert advisors," Shakira's team said in a statement.
She faces a possible fine and a prison sentence if found guilty of tax evasion, though a judge can decide to waive prison time for first-time offenders if they're being sentenced to less than two years behind bars.
