Entertainment
Legal Victory For Shakira As Spanish Court Ends Tax Fraud Probe
A Spanish court has shelved the investigation into alleged tax fraud by Colombian pop star Shakira, bringing an end to her legal troubles in Spain.
The investigation, initiated by prosecutors in July, accused Shakira of employing a network of companies, some located in tax havens, to evade paying 6.6 million euros (approximately Ksh.931.5 million) in taxes in 2018.
In response, Shakira settled the debt by paying 6.6 million euros a month after the case was opened.
Despite acknowledging “irregularities” in Shakira’s 2018 tax return, the court determined these were insufficient to constitute a criminal offense and found no “intent to defraud” the tax authorities.
This decision leaves Shakira with only one unresolved administrative case related to her income from 2011. Her legal team asserts that during that year, she spent “a maximum of 70 days in Spain, not even half the minimum required to be considered a tax resident.”