Shakira Facing Possible 8 Years in Jail for Tax Fraud. On Tuesday, Spanish authorities gave prosecutors the go-ahead to seek more legal action against the singer of “Hips don’t lie.” Shakira will go on trial for allegedly evading taxes on $13.9 million.
According to the Associated Press, Spanish authorities on Tuesday gave prosecutors permission to pursue more legal action against the 45-year-old singer of “Hips Don’t Lie.” According to the publication, a trial date has not yet been scheduled, but if she is proven responsible for failing to pay taxes from 2012 to 2014, the celebrity may receive an eight-year sentence and a large fine. She turned down a settlement offer in the lawsuit in July, according to Reuters, which would have ended the legal dispute.
Shakira has denied any wrongdoing, and according to her PR firm, she has paid what she owed plus interest of $3 million, according to the AP. Shakira’s residence during the two-year period is key to the case. Prosecutors will try to show that the performer actually spent the most of the time in Spain, despite the fact that she claims to have spent the majority of the time in her principal residence, the Bahamas.
The singer’s defense stated in documents obtained by El Periodico and El Pais that she spent the most of her time overseas and didn’t make any conscious effort to conceal her income, characterizing any misconceptions as “a difference in standards.”
She lost her appeal in the case in May, according to a Spanish judge, which determined that there was sufficient evidence to proceed. The court affirmed a judgment made in July 2021 by Spanish Judge Marco Juberas, who found “sufficient proof of wrongdoing” after a three-year inquiry, according to the AP. She is “assured in her innocence,” a spokesman for the Colombian performer told PEOPLE in July.
According to the representative, Shakira “has always complied and abided by the law, exhibiting excellent behaviour as an individual and a taxpayer, and dutifully followed the advice of PriceWaterhouse Coopers, a reputable and internationally renowned tax firm.”
Their further statement reads, “Unfortunately, the Spanish Tax Office continues to violate her rights and pursue yet another pointless action despite the fact that it loses one out of every two disputes with its taxpayers. Shakira is sure that by the time the legal process is over, her innocence will have been established.”
In January 2018, Shakira was initially charged with tax evasion. She paid the almost $25 million in back taxes in February of that year. The news follows Shakira’s June statement that she and her longtime partner, professional soccer star Gerard Piqué, with whom she shares two sons, Milan, 9, and Sasha, 7, are taking a break from one another.
The couple, who announced their relationship for the first time in March 2011, said in a joint statement at the time, “We regret to confirm that we are splitting. “Because the safety of our children is our top priority right now, we kindly request your respect for their privacy. I sincerely appreciate your consideration and respect.”