Shakira’s reps say the pop star refutes Spanish tax fraud claims

Shakira testified in Spanish court over a tax evasion case claiming she avoided paying €14.5m in taxes.

The Colombian pop star reportedly paid £13 million to settle debt last February. Her representatives had this to say about the issue:

“Shakira has always, including in the period between 2011 and 2014, met her tax obligations in every country she has worked in.”

Shakira allegedly evaded paying Spanish taxes by erroneously claiming to live in the Bahamas while residing in Catalonia according to prosecutors.

In court, the singer argued that she paid her taxes on time and fully cooperated with authorities during the investigation. The star refutes claims from tax authorities that she has outstanding debts.

Shakira moved her residency from the Bahamas to Spain back in 2015. She now lives there with her partner, football athlete Gerard Pique, and their two kids.

However, prosecutors insisted that she had been living in Spain from 2012 to 2014. Despite traveling worldwide for her music, the court argued that she was only out of Spain for short periods. Local Catalan newspaper El Periodico reported last February that the singer had paid tax officials €14.5m to settle debts.

Shakira’s public relations firm went on to say:

“As soon as she learned how much she owed the Spanish tax authorities – and before a complaint was filed – Shakira paid the full amount, as well as providing the tax office with exhaustive information. For this reason, there is currently no debt whatsoever.”

Shakira had been frequenting Spanish courts recently. Last month, she had to appear in court for a plagiarism case against her and Carlos Vives for Grammy-winning track La Bicicleta. The artists were cleared of all charges.

Laura Ebeling
Laura Ebeling
Laura is a reporter and a gossip columnist for Best in Australia. She focuses on celebrities, science and social affairs in Australia and worldwide.
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