Shakira Ordered To Face 8 Years In Prison for Tax Fraud

After publicly denying that she did not pay taxes on revenue earned between 2012 and 2014, Shakira will formally face fees in the court docket within the tax fraud case in opposition to her, NBC Information confirmed. A decision in Spain authorized a trial in opposition to Shakira on Sept. 27. In 2018, the singer was accused of failing to pay practically $14 million in taxes. Prosecutors are asking for an 8-year jail sentence and an effective if Shakira is discovered responsible in this case. A date for the trial has not been confirmed.

Shakira beforehand rejected a plea deal that will have allowed her to keep away from going to trial. She has continued to take care of her innocence in the wake of the fees in opposition to her. Prosecutors are alleging that Shakira spent greater than half of her time in 2012-2014 in Spain, which is why they imagine she ought to have paid taxes there. Though Shakira’s residence was within the Bahamas throughout that point, she was romantically concerned with Gerard Pique, who resided in Spain.

Shakira lately opened up about her choice to go to trial and battle the fees in opposition to her. “These are false accusations,” she insisted in an interview with Elle. “To begin with, I didn’t spend 183 days per yr at the moment in any respect. I used to be busy fulfilling my skilled commitments around the globe. Second, I’ve paid every little thing they claimed I owed, even earlier than they filed a lawsuit. In order of as we speak, I owe zero to them.”

The 45-year-old additionally mentioned that prosecutors have tried to sway the general public by starting a “salacious press marketing campaign” in opposition to her. “It’s well-known that the Spanish tax authorities do that typically, not solely with celebrities like me, or Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Alonso, and lots of extra, it additionally occurs unjustly to the common taxpayer,” she accused. “It’s simply their type. However I’m assured that I’ve sufficient proof to assist my case and that justice will prevail in my favor.”

Shakira mentioned that the Spanish tax authorities have been attempting to go after her cash “it doesn’t matter what” within the case in opposition to her. “They knew I wasn’t in Spain the required time [to have to pay taxes], that Spain wasn’t my workplace or my supply of revenue,” she insisted. “However they nonetheless got here after me with their eyes on the prize.”