Singer Shakira sealed an agreement with Spanish prosecutors on Monday, November 20, ending her trial for tax fraud, which had just opened in Barcelona, in exchange for recognition of her guilt and a fine of 7.3 million euros.
As part of this agreement, announced Monday by the president of the court, the Colombian artist receives a three-year suspended prison sentence, which will be commuted to a fine, and a financial sanction of an amount equivalent to “50%” of the fraud, the judge said at the opening of the trial. According to information communicated by the court, this fine amounts to more than 7.3 million euros. The Colombian singer has already paid 17.2 million euros to the Spanish tax authorities in this case, with a view to regularizing her situation.
Arriving at court around 9 a.m., the star, dressed in a pink outfit, admitted her guilt to the judge and said she accepted the sentences imposed. She left the court as soon as the sentence was pronounced, without making any statements to the press.
Tax avoided in Spain between 2012 and 2014
In a press release sent by her lawyers, the singer, however, continues to proclaim her “innocence” and claims to have chosen a guilty plea to protect her career as well as her children, sparing herself “years” of legal proceedings. .
“I had two options: continue to fight to the end, jeopardizing my peace of mind and that of my children, stop making songs, albums and tours”, or “shut down and leave behind me this chapter of my life,” she says. “I have to choose my battles, and the most important one for me right now is to do everything I can to make sure my kids live full lives and focus on what’s really important: watching them grow and have fun.” , adds the singer.
The prosecution accused Shakira of not having paid her taxes in Spain in 2012, 2013 and 2014 when, according to him, she had lived, in those years, more than one hundred and eighty-three days a year in the country, threshold beyond which a person must be considered a tax resident. He had requested a prison sentence of eight years and two months and a fine of 23.8 million euros against him.