Off The Record
World Famous Pop Star Is Facing EIGHT YEARS in Prison And £19 Million Fine Over £12 Million Tax Fraud
Pop star and world famous singer has been warned she could end up in jail up to eight years if she is found guilty of an alleged £12million tax fraud.
Spanish prosecutors are demanding a £19million fine for the 45-year-old star, who is charged with six counts of defrauding the state between the year of 2012 and 2014.
She has already paid the money she owes along with interest who is believed to be a total of £3million.
The charges were contained in an indictment and made public on 29th of July.
The accuser is Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripollis and is charged with pretending to live abroad and using a complex offshore corporate structure for tax evasion.
She is accused from 2012 and 2014 when she was in a relationship with world famous footballer Gerard Pique who lives and plays for Barcelona.
The couple, however, split earlier this year amid allegations that Pique had been unfaithful to her.
Despite the split of the couple, they have remained friendly and have been attending their children’s sports games together.
A spokesperson for Shakira said: ‘Shakira has always cooperated and abided by the law, demonstrating impeccable conduct as an individual and a taxpayer, and faithfully following the counsel of PriceWaterhouse Coopers, a prestigious and globally recognized tax firm.
‘Unfortunately, the Spanish Tax Office, which loses one out of every two lawsuits with its taxpayers, continues to violate her rights and pursue yet another baseless case.
‘Shakira is confident that her innocence will be proven by the end of the judicial process.’
Shakira was a tax resident in the Bahamans, and she’s been registered as a tax resident in Spain in 2015.
Residents in Spain pay taxes on their worldwide income.
People who spent more than 183 days in a calendar year in Spain, or more than half of the year, are considered Spanish residents for tax purposes.
Tax inspectors checked up on Shakira heavily, even visited her hairdresser in Barcelona and checked on her social media frequently.
The conclusion was that she had spent 242 days in Spain in 2012, 212 days in 2013 and 243 days in the country in 2014.
Shakira has denied any wrongdoing.
A date for the trial has not yet been set, but some analyst predict that a deal could be on the table before Shakira is asked to take the stand.
