Spanish prosecutors want Shakira to be sentenced to eight years in prison for alleged tax fraud, it has been revealed. The “Hips Don’t Lie” singer is said to have failed to pay her taxes to Spain between 2012 and 2014, though she claims that she wasn’t even living in the country during that period — supposedly, she was residing out in the Bahamas.
Moreover, prosecutors, who accuse her of six offenses and evading €14.5 million ($14.7 million) in tax, beg to differ, insisting she spent more than six months in Spain, which is the threshold to be considered a tax resident. On top of that, they say she was “hiding” the money she made at that time by using tax havens, which is how the alleged crime went unnoticed for as long as it did.
Shakira is so annoying, she was so busy catering to that cheater that she never took the opportunity to clear this tax rumour for years. Suddenly she has a PR team that responds, why did your team wait for 7 FCKIN years and now it’s a whole mess. Clear this mess up immediately. pic.twitter.com/U7G3M85hz0
— Kuntessa 🦄 (@soapixt) July 29, 2022
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On Wednesday, Shakira rejected a settlement offer because she and her team believe there was no wrongdoing on her part, which has now called for prosecutors to request the mother-of-two to serve a potential prison sentence of eight years once the case goes to trial. They also want her to be fined €23 million ($23.51 million) if she is found guilty.
Representatives for the “Loca” hitmaker have since reacted to the news, saying they will fight to prove her innocence and are not worried about a possible upcoming trial because she has “always abided by the law.”
“Shakira has always cooperated and abided by the law, demonstrating impeccable conduct as an individual and a taxpayer, and faithfully following the counsel of PriceWaterhouse Coopers, a prestigious and globally recognized tax firm,” the statement read.
“Unfortunately, the Spanish Tax Office, which loses one out of every two lawsuits with its taxpayers, continues to violate her rights and pursue yet another baseless case. Shakira is confident that her innocence will be proven by the end of the judicial process.”
A whopping 37 witnesses have been asked to testify once the case is given an official trial date — a move that could have been avoided had Shakira opted for the settlement she decided to decline earlier this week.
shakira during tax season https://t.co/Iec1CdkHNY
— bella poarch is at glassons | squid (@gucciskylove) July 24, 2022
The latest claim in the ongoing tax fraud case comes just weeks after the 45-year-old announced she had split with soccer player Gerard Piqué after 11 years together. The pair, who share two children together, met back in 2010 when Shakira was filming her music video for her World Cup song “Waka Waka” in South Africa.
There have been rumors circulating about infidelity being the cause of the relationship falling apart, but Shakira nor Gerard ever spoke on those claims.
Their joint statement read, “We regret to confirm that we are parting ways. For the well-being of our children, who are our highest priority, we ask that you respect their privacy. Thank you for your understanding.”