Princewill Pius
In 2018, Shakira made headlines when she was charged with tax evasion in Spain. As revealed by The Guardian, Spanish prosecutors alleged that the songstress avoided €14.5m in taxes “by claiming to live in the Bahamas while actually resident in Catalonia.” However, in 2015, Shakira had changed her permanent residence from the Bahamas to Barcelona when she moved to live with her partner, Gerard Piqué.
So, what exactly was the problem? Well, “prosecutors allege that she was already living in the Catalan capital between 2012 and 2014, and should have paid tax on her worldwide income for those years in Spain.” The outlet also notes that there were also claims that Shakira was a Spanish resident for “most of the year, only traveling abroad for short periods.” However, according to Daily Mail, the Columbian singer’s defense team insisted that she “earned most of her money in international tours and did not live more than six months a year in Spain” — meaning she wasn’t eligible for the tax law.
Finally, in June 2019, Shakira appeared in court in Barcelona. Per El Pais, the “She Wolf” crooner stated she “didn’t understand” why she was being investigated and gave details of her “professional commitments,” such as being a judge on The Voice, which proved her time away from Spain. So, what was the outcome?
Written by: Nicki
