Spanish prosecutors have charged pop star Shakira with failing to pay 6.7 million euros ($7.1 million) in tax on her 2018 income, alleging that she used an offshore company based in a tax haven to avoid paying the tax. The charges were filed by Barcelona prosecutors, who have also accused Shakira of failing to pay 14.5 million euros ($15.4 million) in tax between 2012 and 2014. The singer has been notified of the charges in Miami, where she currently resides.
Shakira is already scheduled to stand trial in Barcelona on November 20 in a separate case that revolves around her residency between 2012 and 2014. Prosecutors claim that despite her official residence being in the Bahamas, Shakira spent more than half of that period in Spain and should have paid taxes in the country.
Spanish tax officials initiated the latest case against Shakira in July 2019. After reviewing the evidence gathered over the past two months, prosecutors have decided to bring charges. No trial date has been set yet. The public relations firm that previously handled Shakira’s affairs, Llorente y Cuenca, has not commented on the charges.
Shakira, whose full name is Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, has been linked to Spain since her relationship with retired soccer player Gerard Pique. The couple lived together in Barcelona until last year, when they ended their 11-year relationship.
Spanish tax authorities have taken action against several high-profile soccer stars, including Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, for alleged tax evasion in recent years. While found guilty, these players avoided prison time due to a provision that allows judges to waive sentences under two years for first-time offenders.
