Colombian singer Shakira emerged victorious in her legal battle with Spain’s tax authorities. The Spanish National Tribunal fully dismissed the financial claims of failing to pay taxes on income in 2011, ordering the government to refund the artist over 55 million euros. The case centered around earnings from the singer’s global tour. The Spanish authorities argued that Shakira qualified as a tax resident and was therefore obligated to pay taxes on worldwide income. However, her legal team proved that Shakira had not been present in Spain for the requisite 183 days necessary to establish tax residency in 2011.
Shakira commented that the accusations were baseless and caused significant harm to her reputation and family well-being: “There was no fraud involved. The authorities couldn’t prove otherwise because it was untrue. For almost a decade, I was presumed guilty in absentia, and case-related materials were leaked to the media with distorted information, exploiting my name to intimidate other taxpayers,” the artist stated.
At the same time, the tax authorities may appeal this decision in Spain’s Supreme Court. It is worth noting that in 2023, Shakira was found guilty of tax evasion for the period between 2012 and 2014. However, she avoided incarceration by paying a substantial fine.