Shakira has agreed to pay millions to bring an end to her tax fraud case in Spain. Spanish prosecutors wanted eight years of prison for the international star, but she will not be sent to jail. Following Monday’s court proceedings in Barcelona, Shakira released a statement on her plea.
Shakira, 46, says she wanted to prove her innocence but didn’t want to put her life on hold with the court proceedings. She maintained her innocence for five years before this week’s plea While I was determined in a court that my attorneys were confident in, I decided with my children’s best interests in mind, as they do not wish to see her sacrifice her well-being to this fight,” Shakira told PEOPLE.
In 2022 news broke of a Spanish tax fraud case being pursued against Shakira. After reportedly investigating her finances for five years, Spanish prosecutors alleged she hadn’t paid taxes between 2011-2014.
She argued that she wasn’t residing in the country then and had paid 17.2 million euros in 2018. Still, prosecutors sought to collect over $26 million from Shakira and about eight years in prison.
Shakira Was Ready To Put The Case Behind Her
However, when the trial began on Monday, Shakira told the judge she had reached an agreement with prosecutors, per AP. Shakira agreed to six charges of failure to pay the government almost $16 million (14,5 million euros) between 2012 and 2014 She will receive a three-year suspended sentence instead of prison. Shakira has to hand over about $8 million in one fine, the unpaid taxes with interest, and $472,000 for the waived prison sentence.
Shakira, though, is looking to put this case behind her. In her statement, she emphasized the time spent with her children. The singer is also planning to replace the chunk of money that the Spanish government will be taking. She is going on a worldwide tour in 2024. “I admire tremendously those who have fought these injustices to the end, but for me, today, winning is getting my time back for my kids and my career.”
Still, AP reports that the guilty plea is a permanent mark on her legal record, and Spanish prosecutors aren’t done with her yet. In a separate case, they’re accusing her of using an offshore company to avoid paying the taxes.
