Shakira To Appear In Spanish Court For Alleged Tax Fraud

The Colombian-born recording artist Shakira has been called to appear in Spanish court on June 12. After news first broke in December that Spanish tax authorities were accusing the 42-year-old singer of not paying taxes between 2012 and 2014, an official date for Shakira’s hearing has been set.

Shakira Tax Case News

Shakira – whose full name is Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll – moved to Spain in 2011 after beginning a relationship with Spanish soccer player Gerard Pique, whom she met while filming the music video for her 2010 song “Waka Waka (This Time For Africa),” which served as the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Since then, Shakira and Pique have resided in a suburb of Barcelona with their two children.

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The allegations against Shakira claim that the singer continued to claim Bahamian residency to avoid Spanish taxes, despite living in Spain for more than half of the year, the minimum residency requirement for Spanish tax purposes. The claim states that the singer owes the Spanish government over $16 million in taxes. Shakira and her lawyers dispute the claim and maintain that the residency cannot be proven. She officially changed her residency to Spain in 2015.

Shakira, whose best known songs include “Waka Waka” and her 2005 hit “Hips Don’t Lie,” is a three-time Grammy winner and largely considered one of the most successful Latin pop artists of all time. Other than an initial statement of denial, the singer has not commented on the legal case, but has reportedly agreed to appear in court in June.