Shakira Seems in Spanish Courtroom Over Tax Evasion Allegations
Quimi Ortiz / BACKGRID
Shakira is denying any wrongdoing with regard to her tax evasion case in Spain.
In December, prosecutors charged the 42-year-old Latin pop star for allegedly failing to pay 14.5 million euros ($16.four million) in taxes between 2012 and 2014, when she allegedly lived more often than not in Barcelona with husband and soccer participant Gerard Piqué, and accused her of committing six counts of fraud. She may face a jail sentence if discovered responsible. Shakira testified earlier than a choose in regards to the case on Thursday and mentioned that she started dwelling in Spain in 2015 and at present has no money owed to the tax company, Spanish information channel 24 Horas reported.
“Shakira has at all times, together with within the interval between 2011 and 2014, met her tax obligations in each nation she has labored in,” Shakira’s PR agency mentioned in a press release on Thursday, in keeping with stories.
The group additionally mentioned, that “as quickly as she was knowledgeable of the quantity that in keeping with Spain’s Tax Workplace she ought to pay… Shakira paid that quantity in its entirety.”
The prosecution alleges that for tax functions, Shakira pretended to dwell overseas whereas actually residing with Piqué in Spain, and allegedly used shelter firms to cover her earnings in tax havens, Billboard quoted Spanish media as saying.
Shakira’s reps had mentioned up to now that throughout the years examined by the court docket, the pop star was nonetheless a resident of the Bahamas, the place she had purchased a home with an ex-boyfriend, and legally modified her residency to Spain in 2015, Billboard reported. Nevertheless, the singer did gush throughout an interview on a Spanish speak present in 2011 that she was already “formally dwelling in Barcelona” at the moment, the outlet added.
The outlet famous that in 2018, Shakira paid the Spanish tax company greater than 20 million euros (virtually $25 million ) in again taxes for cash owed for 2011, and in addition paid one other 14.5 million euros for the years 2012-2014 as a very good religion measure earlier than the tax evasion expenses grew to become public.