image Source, getty images
Shakira said only one word in the courtroom: “Yes”, and accepted the charges against her.
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Colombian pop star Shakira reached a deal with Spanish prosecutors to settle a tax fraud case, just as her trial was set to begin,
The singer agreed to pay a fine of 7.3 million euros (US$8 million) to avoid that – if found guilty – she would have faced eight years in prison and a fine of 23.8 million euros (US$26 million), as requested. Fine will be imposed. Prosecutors.
Shakira was accused of defrauding the Spanish state of 14.5 million euros (US$15.8 million) between 2012 and 2014. The singer has accepted a three-year prison sentence which she will not serve.
To avoid jail, he paid an additional 432,000 euros (US$472,000).
The singer has already returned the amount for which she was accused of fraud.
Shakira, who has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, said she has reached an agreement keeping her children in mind.
In a lengthy statement, the Colombian artist said his children “do not want to see their mother sacrifice her personal well-being in this fight.”
change my mind
The artist had previously rejected a deal offered by prosecutors and was prepared to stand trial.
“Throughout my career, I have always strived to do the right thing and set a positive example for others,” he said.
“Unfortunately, and despite these efforts, the tax authorities in Spain brought a case against me as they have done against many professional athletes and other high-profile people, costing those people their energy, time and peace of mind for years. Was destroyed.
“I felt prepared to stand trial and defend my innocence. My lawyers were confident that we had won the case. However, I have taken this decision after many years of struggle.,
She said she needed to “overcome the stress and emotional burden of the past few years and focus on the things I love: my children and all the opportunities that lie ahead in my career.”
image Source, getty images
Shakira and Gerard Piqué with their son Milan during a match in Barcelona in 2013, when prosecutors alleged that she was living in Spain.
residence dispute
At the center of this controversy is Shakira’s residency status between 2012 and 2014.When prosecutors alleged that she lived in Spain, although she indicated that her official residence was elsewhere.
Under Spanish law, people who spend more than six months in the country are considered residents for tax purposes. But Shakira says that Spain was not her main residence at that time.
In July, prosecutors released a document stating that she had purchased a house in Barcelona in 2012, which became a family home for her and her then-partner, Barcelona Football Club footballer Gerard Piqué.
His lawyers have said that by 2014 most of his income came from international tours and he spent long periods of time outside Spain.
“The Spanish tax authorities saw she was dating a Spanish national and started salivating. It was clear they wanted to get that money at any cost,” he told the magazine. Eli,
Shakira declared Spain as her residence for tax purposes in 2015. He said he had paid 17.2 million euros ($18.8 million) in taxes and had no outstanding debts.
In a separate case in 2019, the Spanish national court fined Piqué 2.1 million euros ($2.3 million) for tax evasion between 2008 and 2010.
The couple announced their separation after 11 years in early June 2022. They have two children, aged 7 and 9 years.
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