Shakira fires broadside at Spanish prosecutors ahead of tax trial that could see her jailed for 8 years
MIAMI, FLORIDA: Shakira, the 45-year-old singer-songwriter, faces the unexpected misfortune of possible jail-time after Spanish state prosecutors pursued a hefty penalty for an alleged $14 million tax fraud. The trial date in a Barcelona court has not yet been set.
The singer and her legal team issued comments on Friday, November 25, ahead of a trial in which she may receive up to eight years in prison if proven guilty. Shakira said, "It is unacceptable that, in its accusation, the tax authorities are not respecting the legal certainty that must be guaranteed to any taxpayer, not my fundamental rights. As well as that, they are trying to damage a reputation earned over many years. In my case, they have violated my right to privacy and the presumption of innocence, basic rights of any citizen," as reported by Lad Bible.
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She said that "unorthodox techniques" were used against her and that, "In my case, they have violated my right to privacy and the presumption of innocence — basic rights of any citizen." She also claimed that the Spanish Treasury's investigation into her using unconventional tactics, such as obtaining private information from hospitals where the singer had booked an appointment. She claimed that their case was "contrived fiction." The mother-of-two claimed she wouldn't be making any bargains and would go to court instead, alleging that "inappropriate methods" had been used to harm her reputation and pressure her into reaching a settlement arrangement. She further added, "As an example, the accusation counts all the payments made with a series of credit cards belonging to her team and friends made in Spain to add up the days of Shakira's presence in this country, without taking into account that, on many occasions, there are payments made simultaneously in different parts of the world, without the artist being physically present in those places where the payments were being made," as per reports.
Shakira's lawyer, Pablo Molins Amat, has presented her legal statement of offence to the Barcelona court that will be hearing her case. TMZ reported that according to these legal documents, Shakira had declared herself a tax resident of Spain only in 2015, after she settled there with her family and enrolled her son in school. However, Spanish tax authorities claim the singer was a resident of the country between 2012 through to 2014 as well, and she failed to pay more than $14 million in taxes for income earned. Shakira and her former ex, footballer Gerard Piqué, 35, share two children, Milan, 9, and Sasha, 7. If Shakira, whose real name is Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, is found guilty as charged, state prosecutors want her to pay a $19.2 million fine in addition to an eight-year prison term.