Barcelona prosecutors have leveled fresh allegations against international pop sensation Shakira, claiming that she committed tax fraud amounting to €6 million ($6.4 million) in 2018. This second investigation comes on the heels of pending charges against her for evading €14.5 million ($13.9 million) in taxes between 2012 and 2014.
Prosecutors assert that Shakira employed a complex corporate structure, primarily utilizing a company in Luxembourg, to sidestep tax obligations in Spain, particularly related to her earnings during the El Dorado tour. The investigation also implicates shell companies across Spain, the Netherlands, the British Virgin Islands, Malta, Panama, and Liechtenstein in this alleged tax evasion scheme.
During the period under scrutiny, Shakira was residing in Barcelona with her then-partner Gerard Pique. Prosecutors argue that her actions were driven by a deliberate attempt to evade taxes, citing incomplete documentation provided to Spain, which failed to disclose her full income while deducting unrelated expenses.
In response to these allegations, prosecutors are seeking Interpol's assistance in notifying Shakira, who currently resides in the United States, about both investigations – one focusing on income tax fraud and the other on wealth tax fraud.
Adding to her legal woes, Shakira is scheduled to face a separate tax fraud trial set to commence in November, where she could potentially face up to eight years of imprisonment. The pivotal issue in this case revolves around her residency status between 2012 and 2014. Prosecutors maintain that she was a Spanish resident, obliging her to pay taxes, while Shakira contends that she was an official resident in the Bahamas during that period.
Shakira is steadfast in her refusal to settle these cases, asserting that the accusations are baseless. In an interview with Elle Magazine in 2022, she stated, "First of all, I didn't spend 183 days per year at that time at all. I was busy fulfilling my professional commitments around the world. Second, I've paid everything they claimed I owed, even before they filed a lawsuit." She further mentioned that she had received advice from PricewaterhouseCoopers, one of the world's largest tax specialist firms, and was confident that her financial dealings were conducted correctly and transparently.
In the same interview, Shakira criticized Spanish tax authorities for what she referred to as "a salacious press campaign" against her and suggested they were overly interested in her financial affairs due to her relationship with a Spanish citizen, insinuating a desire to access her wealth.
News ID : 2509