PH
Colombian music idol Shakira, who is due to stand trial in Barcelona in November for tax evasion, is facing a new investigation by prosecutors who believe she defrauded Spain’s tax office of 6.6 million euros.
The case initially came to light in July, when a court near Barcelona announced that it had consented to look into two alleged cases of tax fraud by the artist dating back to 2018, though it did not specify how much money was involved.
The current case was just made public on Tuesday, when the 46-year-old was formally informed of the charges against her at her Miami home.
She has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and claims she owes nothing to the Spanish tax office.
Prosecutors accuse her of filing “incorrect tax returns” documenting her personal income tax and wealth tax in 2018 while living in Barcelona.
According to court documents from May, she employed a “corporate framework” including entities, some of which were situated in tax havens, to avoid paying the tax.
Prosecutors accuse the superstar of owing 5.3 million euros in personal income tax and 773,000 euros in wealth tax, for a total of 6.6 million euros ($7 million) with interest and adjustments.
In a brief statement issued Tuesday, her representatives said: “No notification (about the case) has been received in Miami, where the singer officially resides.”
“Shakira’s legal team is focused on preparing for the trial relating to 2012-2014 which will begin on November 20,” it said.
Prosecutors in that case have asked for an eight-year term and a fine of 24 million euros after Shakira turned down a plea offer on tax evasion allegations.
The case centres on where the singer lived between 2012 and 2014.
Prosecutors claim that Shakira spent more than half of that time in Spain and should have paid taxes there.
According to them, she moved to Spain in 2011 after her connection with FC Barcelona player Gerard Pique became known, although she kept her formal tax residency in the Bahamas until 2015.
According to Shakira’s lawyers, she earned the majority of her money from overseas tours until 2014, that she just came to Spain full time in 2015, and that she has met all of her tax requirements.
Shakira and Pique lived together in Barcelona for 11 years until calling it quits last year. They have two kids.
The singer stated in April that she and her children had moved from Barcelona to Miami.
