Shakira Settles Spain Fraud Case with €7.3m Payment
Colombian singer Shakira (C) leaves the High Court of Justice of Catalonia after attending her trial on tax fraud, in Barcelona on November 20, 2023. Colombian superstar Shakira has reached a deal with prosecutors to end her trial for allegedly defrauding the Spanish state of 14.5 million euros ($15.7 million) on income earned between 2012 and 2014, a Barcelona court said. Under the deal, the 46-year-old agreed to receive a three-year suspended sentence in exchange for paying millions of euros in fines, the head of the court said on what would have been the first day of her trial. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP)
Colombian music icon Shakira has reached an agreement with Spanish prosecutors to settle a tax fraud case without going to trial.
The Barcelona court revealed that the superstar will pay a fine exceeding €7.3 million ($7.98 million). Prosecutors had accused Shakira of defrauding Spain of approximately €14.5 million ($15.7 million) in income earned between 2012 and 2014, allegations she had contested, citing her full-time move to Spain in 2015.
As per the deal, Shakira will receive a three-year suspended sentence and pay a fine amounting to 50 percent of the unpaid tax, totaling €7.33 million ($7.98 million). Additionally, she will pay a separate fine of €432,000 to suspend her jail sentence, bringing the total settlement to about €7.8 million.
The 46-year-old singer, who had initially rejected a previous deal, expressed that she settled in the best interest of her children, emphasizing her desire to move past the emotional toll of the case and focus on her family and career, including an upcoming world tour and a new album.
