The country of Spain is notorious for having a crooked tax system, and pop superstar Shakira has been fighting them for years.
Spain has a long history of shaking down professional athletes and high-profile people.
Soccer players such as Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, Argentina’s Lionel Messi, and Brazilian-Spanish player Diego Costa have been targeted. All settled and paid large fines.
Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso refused to settle and eventually won a trial against the tax agency. Spain’s Supreme Court last month upheld his acquittal.
As Shakira was gearing up for a court case against Spanish authorities, they opened up a second case against her. Prosecutors were seeking an eight-year prison sentence over her “failure” to pay taxes.
The allegations surrounding the case claim over how much time Shakira spent in the country. Authorities say she spent “more than half of each of the years in question in Spain and was therefore ordinarily resident in the country.”
In light of the second investigation and a divorce Shakira decided to settle.
The popstar diva has agreed to pay a fine of what would amount to $8 million and an additional fine of $478,000.
“Throughout my career, I have always strived to do what’s right and set a positive example for others,” Shakira said in a written statement. Adding that a consulting firm not herself was in charge of her finances.
“Unfortunately, and despite these efforts, tax authorities in Spain pursued a case against me as they have against many professional athletes and other high-profile individuals, draining those people’s energy, time, and tranquility for years at a time,” she said.
“While I was determined to defend my innocence in a trial that my lawyers were confident would have ruled in my favour, I have made the decision to finally resolve this matter with the best interest of my kids at heart who do not want to see their mom sacrifice her personal well-being in this fight,” the mother of three pop star added.
Shakira has since moved to Miami.
