Shakira has reportedly been found guilty of tax fraud in Spain. This comes just a few days before she is scheduled to perform at the Super Bowl Half-Time Show.
Appearing in a Spanish court on January 31st, the 42-year-old said she was up-to-date with her taxes, had given her full cooperation to the investigation and had no outstanding debts with the tax authorities.
Allegedly, she arrived at the Esplugues de Llobregat court near Barcelona, using the court’s car park entrance to avoid the media.
Prosecutors, who accused her of tax evasion in December last year, argued that she avoided taxes by claiming to live in the Bahamas when she was resident in Catalonia.
Shakira is said to have changed residences in 2015 from the Bahamas to Spain, where she lives with her current partner, the Barcelona footballer Gerard Piqué, and their two sons.
Maybe, just maybe, the Hips do Lie.
In a statement released after the publication of the 2019 article, Shakira’s PR company said she had appeared in court to “help clarify the facts over her tax situation in Spain”.
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It said the singer had always met her tax obligations in every country where she had worked and did not own taxes to the Spanish state.
“As soon as she learned how much she owed the Spanish tax authorities – and before a complaint was filed – Shakira paid the full amount”.
“As well as providing the tax office with exhaustive information. For this reason, there is currently no debt whatsoever.”
Shakira was charged with allegations that she failed to pay some €14.5 million in taxes, with the case then taking time to resolve.
The pop star appeared in a Spanish court earlier on January 31st – where she was reportedly found guilty.
Shakira has not yet made commentary.
The ‘Whenever, Wherever’ singer is also the sole owner of a company based in Malta called ‘Tournesol Ltd’. Malta has been accused of operating as a tax haven before. When asked about the company, Lawyers for the singer said Tournesol Ltd. “fulfils all legal requirements. All of the corresponding information relative to this entity is public and transparent.”
