Shakira, a popular artist, has spoken out to deny suspicions of tax evasion and revealed that she had paid “all” that was owed.
Despite facing up to eight years in prison on six counts of tax fraud totaling over $13 million, the 45-year-old pop star has decided to fight the allegations and has insisted that she did not spend more than 183 days in the country, which would lead the Spanish government to count her as an official citizen, as reported by femalefirst.co.uk.
‘Because these are baseless charges, I have to fight for what I believe,’ she declared. To begin, I did not spend exactly 183 days a year in that location.
My schedule was full of international work trips.
Second, I’ve already paid them back all they said I owed before they even sued me. Consequently, I owe them absolutely nothing as of right now. Last but not least, I consulted with PricewaterhouseCoopers, one of the four largest tax specialist organizations in the world, to ensure that I was operating openly and honestly from the start.
The singer of the hit song “Objection,” who is also being fined, called the government’s claims “fictitious” and said that the authorities frequently treat celebrities and the “ordinary taxpayer” the same way.
“Even without evidence to support these false accusations, as they always do,” she told ELLE, “they’ve resorted to a sensational publicity campaign to try to influence individuals, and apply pressure in the media combined with the prospect of reputational damage in order to extort settlement agreements.”
It’s common knowledge that average citizens in Spain face the same treatment as famous people like me or Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Xabi Alonso, and many more when it comes to their tax obligations. That’s exactly how they roll. However, I am positive that I have sufficient evidence to win my case and that fairness will be done.
Although she moved to Barcelona in 2011 to be with her ex, the 35-year-old Spanish player Gerard Pique, with whom she has boys Milan, 9, and Sasha, 7, she is accused of faking to live overseas to avoid paying taxes.
Tax officials reportedly spent over a year investigating the ‘Whenever, Wherever’ singer, going so far as to visit her regular hairdresser in Barcelona and scour her social media in an effort to prove that she had spent the bulk of the contested three years in Spain.
Her total time spent in Spain was calculated to be 242 in 2012, 212 in 2013, and 243 in 2014.
Prosecutors, according to the article, said her trips outside of Spain were “sporadic absences” related to work.
When the case first surfaced in July 2022, a representative for Shakira said, “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.”
It’s unfortunate that the Spanish Tax Office, which loses half of its court cases against taxpayers, is still harassing her and trying to force her to pay for something she didn’t do. She is convinced that justice will be done in the end,” Shakira’s lawyer said.