Shakira received the worst news days after her cover story with Billboard. The singer has been charged by Spanish authorities for tax evasion for a second time. The prosecutors in Spain demand around $7.1 Million from the three-time Grammy Award winner, who currently lives in Miami, USA.
Shakira has been charged by the authorities for her income in 2018. The Barcelona prosecutors revealed in a statement that the pop star used an offshore company in a tax haven to evade taxes on her income.
Spain Demands Shakira Hand Over $7 Million In Unpaid Taxes—Latest Tax Trouble For Pop Star https://t.co/ZekZgI8yYw pic.twitter.com/yirRXLG2Nr
— Forbes (@Forbes) September 27, 2023
The latest case against Shakira was opened in July 2022. The prosecutors reviewed the evidence against the singer in the last two months and concluded that there was enough substantial evidence to bring charges against her. As of right now, no date for a trial has been set.
Shakira commented on the charges last year through her public relations firm. She stated she has always acted in concordance with the law and on the advice of her financial advisers. The public relations firm refused to comment on the new developments.
Shakira’s second tax probe in Spain
This isn’t the first case of tax evasion against the Colombian singer. She is already set to face a trial for allegedly not paying around $14 Million in taxes on income pertaining to the period between 2012 and 2014.
This case hinges on the technicality of the residence of the singer during the said period. As per the prosecutors, the singer lived in Barcelona, Spain for more than half of the fiscal period which makes her liable to pay taxes in Spain, however, their official residence of Shakira during the period was in the Bahamas.
Elton John, Ringo Starr, and Shakira were named in the Pandora Papers, which detail the offshore financial dealings of global elites. https://t.co/nPAaDymvp0
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) October 4, 2021
Both cases are from the period when Shakira used to live in Barcelona, Spain with his ex-partner, soccer star, Gerard Piqué. The singer recently humiliated her former partner by revealing details of her diss track against her former partner. The singer moved to Miami after the couple announced their split after dating for 11 years.
Back in 2021, Pandora Papers also exposed the singer’s use of complex offshore accounting and tax avoidance schemes. The singer was accused of setting up PO Box Companies. These companies are set up in tax havens like the British Virgin Islands, Panama, and the Bahamas.
Spain Authorities are known to be ruthless in cracking down on celebrities and athletes for tax evasion. Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were found guilty of tax evasion during their stints in Spain.
A list of players who have been charged with tax evasion, whilst in Spain:
Leo Messi
Cristiano Ronaldo
Luka Modric
Diego Costa
Neymar
Gerard Pique
Iker Casillas
Javier Mascherano
Radamel Falcao
Angel Di Maria
Marcelo
James RodriguezAnd that’s just the tip of the iceberg… pic.twitter.com/8ZLwUxwsIR
— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) June 4, 2020
However, both players avoided prison time as the Spanish judge waived their sentences under two years length for first-time offenders. These suspended sentences allow first-time offenders to escape prison time on the condition that they don’t commit the offense for the second time.
The same provision will also be discussed in Shakira’s trial, but double charges complicate the matter of a suspended sentence in her case. The singer has been notified of the newest development in Miami as per the statement of the prosecutors.