Colombian superstar singer Shakira was recently acquitted in a tax fraud case in Madrid, Spain. The court ruled that she is entitled to a refund of approximately $70 million in wrongfully imposed fines.
Shakira has been fighting the Spanish government in court since 2011. The Court ruled that the Spanish taxing authorities had failed to prove that she lived in Spain long enough in 2011 to be subject to the 183-day residency requirement to be considered a Spanish tax resident. The court ruled she only spent 163 days in Spain in 2011.
Shakira stated: “There was never any fraud, and the Tax Agency itself was never able to prove otherwise, simply because it wasn’t true.”
Shakira traveled extensively that year performing at 120 concerts in 37 countries. The Spanish taxing authorities alleged her economic center of activities was in Spain. The court ruled otherwise. The court rejected the argument that her relationship with her boyfriend, retired Barcelona Soccer star Gerard Pique, made Spain her home. Shakira lived with Pique for over 10 years. At the time, she and Pique had begun dating but were not married. The national high court also held that her children were not living in Spain in 2011 and that her personal relationship with Pique could not legally be considered akin to marriage.
Shakira’s lawyer, Josse Luis Prada, stated: “This resolution comes after an eight-year ordeal that has taken an unacceptable toll, reflecting a lack of rigorous administrative practices.”
After the ruling, Shakira stated that she should not have been forced to prove her innocence. The Spanish taxing authorities could still appeal to the Supreme Court.
Shakira had another dispute in Spain in which the Spanish prosecutors contended she did not pay $15.8 million in taxes between 2012-2014. Prosecutors had tried to send her to jail and fine her. She denied any wrongdoing and agreed to pay unpaid taxes and penalties to avoid a trial and possibly prison if she lost. She stated that she decided to settle the case “with the best interest of my kids at heart.”
And in 2024 a court in Spain was reported to have dropped an investigation into her tax payments for 2018 due to “a lack of evidence.”
Shakira also stated the court had “finally set the record straight after eight years enduring brutal public targeting, orchestrated campaigns to destroy my reputation, and sleepless nights that ultimately impacted my health and my family’s well-being.”
Shakira is well known for such hit songs as “Hips Don’t Lie” and “Wherever, Wherever.” She is currently on her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran world tour. She is also slated to perform this summer with Madonna and BTS at the half-time show for the FIFA Men’s World Cup Final. Recently, she performed in front of a huge crowd at a free concert at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
GLENN T. LITWAK is a veteran entertainment attorney based in Santa Monica, CA. He has represented platinum selling recording artists, GRAMMY-winning music producers, hit songwriters, management and production companies, music publishers and independent record labels. Litwak is also a frequent speaker at music industry conferences around the country, such as South by Southwest and the Billboard Music in Film and TV Conference. Litwak has been selected as a “Super Lawyer” by Super Lawyer magazine for 2022-2025. Email Litwak at gtllaw59@gmail.com or visit glennlitwak.com.
This article is a very brief overview of the subject matter and does not constitute legal advice.
Shakira photo by Junta de Andalucía licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.
