Pop superstar Shakira has reached an agreement with Spanish authorities on the first day of her tax fraud trial in Barcelona, thereby avoiding potential imprisonment. She admitted to six charges relating to unpaid taxes totalling €14.5 million ($24.17 million) from 2012 to 2014. The deal entails a three-year suspended sentence and a fine of €7 million ($11.67 million).
The trial, initially expected to involve over 100 witnesses, was dismissed after just eight minutes when Shakira accepted the agreement. The case focused on her residency status, with prosecutors claiming she spent more than half of the investigative period in Spain while officially residing in the Bahamas, where tax rates are significantly lower.
Despite earlier rejecting a settlement deal in July 2022, Shakira accepted this new arrangement to prioritise her family and career, as stated by her defence lawyer. Shakira has claimed to have paid all owed taxes plus an additional €3 million ($5 million) in interest.
In a separate probe, she has also been charged with allegedly evading €6.7 million ($11.17 million) in taxes from her 2018 income. Shakira, who has two children with former partner Gerard Piqué, has recently relocated to Miami after their split. Following her performance at the Latin Grammy Awards, she expressed gratitude to her Spanish fans for their support.