Shakira has been acquitted in the Spanish tax fraud case; the court has ordered the refund of the tax of 55 million euros

The Spanish Court acquitted him Shakira In a tax fraud case, he was ordered to repay the government more than 55 million euros ($64 million) in wrongfully imposed fines, a court document seen Monday by The Associated Press showed.The decision follows tax problems for the Colombian superstar in Spain.

Regarding the issue of fiscal fraud

The ruling relates to a case related to the 2011 tax year, in which the Spanish authorities failed to prove that the singer lived in Spain, the Madrid court said in its decision.To be considered a tax resident in Spain, a person must spend more than 183 days in the country.Spanish authorities could only prove that Shakira had lived in Spain for a total of 163 days that year, the court said, ordering the Treasury to refund the singer’s tax plus interest.The Spanish tax agency argued at the time that Shakira was linked to Spain through a relationship with now-retired footballer Gerard Pique, and based her main economic activities in the country.But the National Court ruled that this relationship could not be legally equated with marriage, nor was it proven that the “main center or base” of Shakira’s activities or economic interests in 2011 was directly or indirectly located in Spain.

Shakira makes a statement

“There was never any fraud, and the Tax Agency itself could not prove otherwise, simply because it was not true,” Shakira, who appealed, said in a statement issued by her lawyers.The Spanish Treasury will return 60 million euros (almost 70 million dollars) to the singer, including interest, Shakira’s lawyer said.“This decision comes after an eight-year ordeal that has been unacceptable, reflecting a lack of rigor in administrative practices,” Jose Luis Prada, his lawyer, said in a statement.

Shakira has reached an agreement with Spanish prosecutors

In 2023, in a separate tax fraud case, Shakira reached a deal with Spanish prosecutors to avoid prosecution for failing to pay €14.5 million (then $15.8 million) between 2012 and 2014.The singer accepted the charges and was forced to pay 7.3 million euros ($8 million at the time), in addition to previously unpaid taxes and interest.The “Hips Don’t Lie” singer was named in the 2017 “Paradise Papers” leaks detailing the offshore tax arrangements of numerous high-profile individuals, including pop icons Madonna and U2’s Bono.Spanish tax authorities have cracked down on soccer stars like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo over the past decade or so for not paying their full tax debt. Those players were found guilty of tax evasion but avoided prison time thanks to a provision that allows judges to waive sentences of less than two years for first offenders.