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Shakira faces 8 years in jail and $23 million in fines over alleged tax fraud in Spain

The Latina pop sensation, 45, has strongly denied any wrongdoing and rejected an out-of-court settlement that would have had her admit she is guilty
PUBLISHED JUL 29, 2022
Shakira appears at the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards on March 12, 2021, in Los Angeles, California (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
Shakira appears at the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards on March 12, 2021, in Los Angeles, California (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

Shakira could reportedly be facing up to eight years in prison if she is found guilty of an alleged $14.6 million tax fraud. The Latina pop sensation — full name Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll — has been charged in Spain with six counts of defrauding the state between 2012 and 2014, with prosecutors demanding an additional $23.1 million penalty. This comes after the Colombian-born mother-of-two rejected an out-of-court settlement in a deal that would have involved her admitting wrongdoing. The 45-year-old songstress has reportedly already repaid the money she allegedly owes the treasury, along with interest amounting to $3.65 million. 

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The charges against Shakira were contained in an indictment filed by prosecutors to the investigating court near Barcelona, and have now been made public. The singing sensation is accused of pretending to live abroad while using a complex offshore corporate structure to avoid taxes between 2012 and 2014, when she was in a relationship with soccer star Gerard Pique who lives and plays in Barcelona.

Gerard Pique of FC Barcelona and Shakira pose with the trophy after FC Barcelona won the Copa del Rey Final match against Athletic Club at Camp Nou on May 30, 2015 in Barcelona, Spain.
Gerard Pique of FC Barcelona and Shakira pose with the trophy after FC Barcelona won the Copa del Rey Final match against Athletic Club at Camp Nou on May 30, 2015, in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

The couple split earlier this year amid rumors that Pique was unfaithful to his wife. Shakira, who has two children with the star athlete, allegedly tried to rekindle the relationship multiple times but was rebuffed by Pique. The pair eventually confirmed their separation, but seems to have remained on civil terms as they have been spotted attending their children's sports games together.

Singer Shakira (L) and her husband and footballer Gerard Pique of FC Barcelona (R) react in the stands as they watch the singles final match between Rafael Nadal of Spain and Denis Shapovalov of Canada during Day Seven of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 24, 2019 in Madrid, Spain.
Singer Shakira (L) and her husband and footballer Gerard Pique of FC Barcelona (R) react in the stands as they watch the singles final match between Rafael Nadal of Spain and Denis Shapovalov of Canada during Day Seven of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 24, 2019, in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Shakira was previously a tax resident in the Bahamas and only registered as a full tax resident in Spain in 2015. Official residents in Spain are required to pay state taxes on their worldwide income. Those who spend more than 183 days in a given calendar year in Spain are considered Spanish residents for tax purposes. Reports suggest tax inspectors spent more than a year investigating Shakira, even visiting her go-to hairdressers in Barcelona and scouring her social media to prove that she spent most of those three years, from 2012 to 2014, in Spain. The officials eventually concluded she had spent 242 days in Spain in 2012, 212 days in 2013, and 243 days in 2014. According to the report submitted by prosecutors, the time she spent out of Spain were "sporadic absences" that were work-related.

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It's worth noting that Shakira has strongly denied any wrongdoing. "She believes in her innocence and has opted to leave the issue in the hands of the law," her PR firm Llorente y Cuenca said in a statement earlier this week. A date for the trial is yet to be announced, as some legal analysts predicted the star could still strike an eleventh-hour deal before she is asked to take the stand.

Shakira attends the screening of
Shakira attends the screening of "Elvis" during the 75th annual Cannes film festival at Palais des Festivals on May 25, 2022, in Cannes, France. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

In May, Shakira and Pique announced they had officially parted ways after 11 years together. The news came amid unconfirmed reports the soccer star was unfaithful to her. The exes have allegedly been spending the past couple of weeks discussing the future of their two children, considering the singer wants to relocate to Miami with them, the Daily Mail reported.

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