Spain’s high court has acquitted Colombian pop star Shakira of tax fraud and ordered the Treasury to reimburse her for more than €60m (£52m) in fines she was forced to pay, plus interest and legal fees.
In a statement sent to The Independent, the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer celebrated while condemning the Treasury over the eight-year legal battle. The musician said she had endured “brutal public targeting” and “orchestrated campaigns to destroy my reputation”, along with sleepless nights that “ultimately impacted my health and my family’s well-being”.
Shakira had been accused of failing to pay €14.5m in Spanish income tax between 2012 and 2014, with prosecutors alleging that she spent more than half of that two-year period in Spain and therefore should have paid taxes in the country – even though her official residence was in the Bahamas.
At the time, the tax agency argued that Shakira was linked to Spain through her relationship with former FC Barcelona footballer Gerard Pique, and based her business activities there.
The Grammy winner initially settled the dispute in 2023 by paying a €7m fine to avoid going to trial, stating that it was for the sake of her personal wellbeing and she had been prepared to defend her innocence.
Her decision came amid a crackdown by Spanish tax authorities on stars of entertainment and sport. In 2017, Argentine footballer Lionel Messi and his father, Jorje, were found guilty of defrauding Spain of €4.1m between 2007 and 2009. His 21-month prison sentence for tax fraud was switched to a €252,000 fine.
In 2019, Cristiano Ronaldo pleaded guilty to tax fraud and agreed to pay a fine of almost €19m, and was given a two-year suspended sentence.
This week, the high court judge ruled that Spanish authorities failed to prove that Shakira spent more than 183 days in Spain in 2011, as required by law to be considered a tax resident in the country.
It was ruled that the fines were unlawful as they were “based on the assumption that the appellant’s tax residence was in Spain for the 2011 fiscal year, a fact which has not been proven”.
The new ruling can be appealed before the Supreme Court and does not affect tax years after 2011.
“The National High Court has finally set the record straight,” Shakira said in her statement. “There was never any fraud, and the Administration itself could never prove otherwise, simply because it wasn't true. Yet, for nearly a decade, I was treated as guilty.
“Every step of the process was leaked, distorted, and amplified, using my name and public image to send a threatening message to the rest of the taxpayers. Today, that narrative crumbles, and it does so with the full force of a court ruling.”
She continued: “My greatest wish is that this ruling sets a precedent for the Treasury and serves the thousands of ordinary citizens who are abused and crushed every day by a system that presumes their guilt and forces them to prove their innocence at the cost of economic and emotional ruin. This victory is dedicated to them."
José Luis Prada, the lawyer representing Shakira, said in a separate statement: “This resolution comes after an eight-year ordeal that has taken an unacceptable toll, reflecting a highly flawed administrative practice.
“Shakira had the strength and resources to see this through to the end, but this modus operandi suffocates many ordinary taxpayers who do not have the means to defend themselves.
“For this reason, it is an immense relief and a source of deep pride to witness the rigor and independence of our courts. It comforts us to see that, when faced with unacceptable administrative stances, we can rely on a justice system that truly works and ensures the rule of law.”
The Independent has contacted the AEAT for comment.
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