Big news is coming from Barcelona as Colombian superstar Shakira undergoes a tax fraud trial. She might have to face an eight year long jail term.
She has been charged with defrauding the Spanish state for 14.5 million euros ($15.7 million). This income was earned by her during 2012 and 2014. However, the charges are denied by the singer as she said that she moved to Spain in 2015.
Shakira’s Tax Fraud Case
The focus of the case revolves around the amount of time that the singer, known for her songs, like “Hips Don’t Lie,” “Whenever, Wherever ” and the 2010 World Cup anthem “Waka Waka ” stayed in Spain from 2012 to 2014.
Spanish authorities claim that Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, often referred to as the Queen of Latin Pop spent than half of that duration in Spain and should have fulfilled her tax obligations in the country.
She is said to have gone to Spain in 2011 after her relationship with former FC Barcelona star defender Gerard Pique became public, but she kept the official tax residency in Bahamas until 2015.
The Prosecution’s indictment alleges that Shakira “used a set of companies” incorporated in tax havens “with the intention of not paying” tax in Spain.
The singer faces a possible jail term of eight years and two months as well as a potential penalty of up to nearly 24 million euros ($24 million).
According to Shakira’s attorneys, she lived a “nomadic life” till 2014 earning most of her money through international tours and only moved permanently to Barcelona just before the birth of her second son in January 2015.
By the time they sued me, I had already paid every claim they made. So I do not owe them anything as per my latest balance sheet,” she told Elle magazine in an interview published in 2022.
Shakira’s Tax Fraud Trial Begins: Star Faces 120 Witnesses and Possible Prison Time
Shakira’s trial for alleged tax fraud is commencing today at a court in Barcelona. The proceedings are scheduled to continue until December 14th with a number of witnesses expected to testify 120 in total.
It is anticipated that Shakira will take the witness stand on the day of the trial; however she might request permission from the judge to be excused from attending hearings.
The trial is set to shed light on aspects of Shakiras life as Spanish prosecutors have dedicated significant efforts to substantiate their case. This includes conducting interviews with her neighbors monitoring her social media activity and even scrutinizing her receipts, from hairdressers and doctors.
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