'Not Out Of Cowardice Or Guilt’: Shakira Reveals Why She Resolved 5 Million USD Spanish Tax Case
Shakira agreed to pay a €7.5 million fine to settle her tax fraud case in Spain, for the sake of her children's well-being. She wanted to move past the legal battle and focus on her family. Read on.
Global star Shakira knows her legal rights and has made sure to prevail justice! The Waka Waka singer agreed to pay a €7.5 million fine to settle her tax fraud case in Spain, avoiding a possible eight-year jail sentence and a €23.8 million penalty. The singer was accused of failing to pay €14.5 million in taxes between 2012 and 2014, which she continuously denied.
The celebrated singer said that she settled the case keeping her children's best interest and well-being in mind. “I need them to know that I made the decisions I made to protect them, to be by their side, and to get on with my life. Not out of cowardice or guilt.”
Shakira further added that she wants to leave behind her cherished legacy for her children and set an example of a woman who can calmly explain her reason in her own time rather than when she's forced to.
According to Page Six, the issue stemmed from Shakira staying in Spain between 2012 and 2014. Spanish law stipulates that individuals residing in Spain for over six months are required to pay taxes. While prosecutors claimed she was living in Spain during this time, Shakira maintained that she was primarily residing elsewhere.
Shakira said that in 2011, she relocated to Spain to be with her then-boyfriend, soccer player Gerard Piqué, but didn’t live there full-time. She stated she only spent 73 days in Spain that year, far fewer than the 183 days needed to be deemed as a tax resident.
However, she moved to Spain in 2015, and the tax department tried to charge her taxes as old as 10 years ago. As per Page Six, the Waka Waka singer claimed that tax authorities were more interested in publicity under her name than listening to her problems.
Shakira and Piqué split in 2022, and she moved to Miami with their two sons, Milan and Sasha. She wrote in a post back then that she wanted privacy for the sake of her sons.
She made sure to settle the case for good, as it remained unresolved for several years, which took a toll on her and the kid's emotional and mental well-being. As per Page Six, she said that she now wished to move ahead in her career and do greater things.
Meanwhile, she recently launched her latest album, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran. The artist's 12th studio album immediately became a hit, peaking at No. 13 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 2 on Top Albums Sales.
She is also gearing up for a couple of tours, including 18 concerts across two countries in 2024-2025.
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