Spain’s National Court, or Audiencia Nacional, has fully exonerated Colombian music star Shakira of tax fraud charges for the 2011 tax year. This decision is a major legal win for the singer after years of battling with Spanish tax authorities.
According to reports from Spanish media and court documents, the court determined that prosecutors failed to prove Shakira had lived in Spain long enough in 2011 to be classified as a tax resident under Spanish law. The judges found that the evidence provided by the tax agency, known as Hacienda, did not sufficiently back up the allegations against her.
The ruling now forces Spanish tax authorities to repay Shakira more than 60 million euros ($63 million), including the original payment plus interest and legal costs.
The case is part of a wider tax battle that has plagued Shakira for years since she lived in Barcelona with ex-footballer Gerard Piqué. Spanish prosecutors said she failed to pay tax on worldwide income from 2012 to 2014, alleging that she lived most of the time in Spain during those years. In 2023, Shakira reached a separate settlement with prosecutors in another tax case to avoid a lengthy trial while maintaining she had always acted legally.
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The latest decision on the 2011 allegations strengthens the singer’s legal case and comes at a time of international acclaim for the singer, who has produced a string of hit songs and recently announced a world tour.
Social media fans cheered the court’s ruling, praising the singer for pursuing the case and fighting it for years. Shakira is still one of the biggest Latin music stars in the world, having sold millions of records worldwide and a long list of Grammys and Latin Grammys.
