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Shakira Faces New Court Charges Over Alleged Tax Fraud
A Spanish judge in Barcelona, Esplugues de Llobregat, has ordered a second investigation against Colombian singer Shakira for alleged tax fraud.
The investigation comes after Judge Marco Jesús Juberías argued that Shakira’s residence in Spain for over 200 days from 2012 to 2014 makes her eligible and liable to pay $16.2 million in unpaid taxes in the country.
Judge Juberías alleges that Shakira’s financial advisor used offshore bank accounts to hide her sources of income during those years. Shakira’s legal team has maintained her innocence and remains “calm and confident” that a favorable resolution will be reached regarding her tax affairs.
The renowned singer, Shakira, is facing further investigation for alleged fraud related to her wealth and income tax in 2018, as revealed by a Spanish court on July 20, according to Reuters. These new allegations are in addition to the previous charges of tax evasion, which involve over €14.5 million ($14.31 million) in back taxes owed for the years 2012 and 2014. The court is now widening its inquiry into Shakira’s financial affairs to scrutinize her tax payments for the year 2018 as well.
The 46-year-old singer was accused of evading payment of taxes in Spain while living there with her partner, Gérard Piqué, and their family. However, Shakira argued that her primary residence was in the Bahamas during that period, and she was touring internationally. Despite her arguments, the judge ruled that there was enough evidence of criminality to bring Shakira to trial on charges of tax fraud.