Shakira has been acquitted of tax fraud related to her 2011 income by the Spanish High Court
NEED TO KNOW
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A rep for Shakira tells PEOPLE the Spanish government must now return over €60 million (about $70 million) to the "Hips Don't Lie" singer
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In a statement, Shakira criticized the tax agency's handling of her case, calling it a decade-long campaign to damage her reputation
Shakirahas been acquitted of tax fraud related to her 2011 income by the Spanish High Court.
The ruling was set on Monday, May 18, according toReutersand theBBC, with Spain's High Court overturning the €55 million (about $64 million) fine imposed in 2021 by the Spanish tax agency. A rep for Shakira tells PEOPLE the Spanish government must now return over €60 million (about $70 million) to the "Hips Don't Lie" singer, 49.
According to Shakira's rep, authorities were unable to prove the four-time Grammy winner spent 183 days in Spain in 2011, the minimum required amount for residents to pay personal income tax in the country. The ruling does not affect tax years after 2011, per Reuters and the BBC.
According to Reuters, the Spanish tax agency previously argued Shakira was linked to the country due to her previous relationship with Spanish former professional soccer player Gerard Piqué, with whom she shares sons Milan, 13, and Sasha, 11.
Shakira said in a statement, "After more than eight years of enduring brutal public targeting, orchestrated campaigns to destroy my reputation, and sleepless nights that ultimately impacted my health and my family's well-being, the National High Court has finally set the record straight."
"There was never any fraud, and the Administration itself could never prove otherwise, simply because it wasn't true," continued the "She Wolf" artist. "Yet, for nearly a decade, I was treated as guilty. Every step of the process was leaked, distorted, and amplified, using my name and public image to send a threatening message to the rest of the taxpayers."
Shakira added, "Today, that narrative crumbles, and it does so with the full force of a court ruling. My greatest wish is that this ruling sets a precedent for the Treasury and serves the thousands of ordinary citizens who are abused and crushed every day by a system that presumes their guilt and forces them to prove their innocence at the cost of economic and emotional ruin. This victory is dedicated to them."
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José Luis Prada, a lawyer for Shakira and Managing Partner of Prada Tax Advisors, said in a statement, "This resolution comes after an eight-year ordeal that has taken an unacceptable toll, reflecting a highly flawed administrative practice."
Prada continued, "Shakira had the strength and resources to see this through to the end, but this modus operandi suffocates many ordinary taxpayers who do not have the means to defend themselves. For this reason, it is an immense relief and a source of deep pride to witness the rigor and independence of our courts."
His statement concluded, "It comforts us to see that, when faced with unacceptable administrative stances, we can rely on a justice system that truly works and ensures the rule of law."
In November 2023,Shakira agreed to pay a $7.5 million fineand avoided a possible prison sentence after she was accused by prosecutors of six counts of tax fraud for failing to pay 14.5 million euro ($15.8 million) in income taxes between 2012 and 2014. At the time, she maintained her innocence and explained she settled the case for the sake of her sons.
In May 2024, Spanish prosecutorsdropped tax fraud charges against Shakirarelated to her 2018 income.
The "Whenever, Wherever" musician is currently gearing up for the next North American leg of her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour throughout June and July. She'll then wrap the tour with 12 shows at Madrid's Shakira Stadium in September and October.
Read the original article onPeople
