Almost three years after Shakira was accused of embezzling the Spanish state in the amount of 14.5 million euros, the singer could even be in the dock. On Wednesday, a judge at the Barcelona Investigative Court ruled that the artist had “enough evidence” to stand trial on tax fraud charges.
According to the Spanish news agency Efe, which had access to legal documents, the judge considers that although the theses of the Spanish State Tax Administration and the defense are “diametrically opposed” regarding the applicable tax interpretation, there is “evidence. enough crime ”to continue the case against Shakira and resolve it in court.
The singer “My Hips Don’t Lie” is accused of defrauding the Spanish state for 14.5 million euros between 2012 and 2014. We are talking about non-payment of taxes on rent and property.
However, Shakira’s defense claims that the singer spent less than 184 days in the country between concerts and the schedule related to the artistic environment, so she had no obligation to pay taxes as she was not considered a resident.
In January 2020, two Spanish tax inspectors announced that the artist had not paid income tax from 2012 to 2014.
In 2018, a lawsuit was filed against the singer and her tax advisor in the United States. Both were charged with six crimes against a Spanish agency that allegedly drew up a “plan” to pay neither income tax nor property tax using a network of 14 companies based in tax havens that got what Shakira earned “through her professional activities.” …
