A Spanish court has acquitted international music star Shakira of tax fraud charges and ordered the country’s Treasury to refund her €55 million (approximately $64 million) plus interest.
The ruling by Spain’s National High Court brings an end to a major chapter of a legal dispute that has lasted for nearly ten years.
The judges ruled that prosecutors failed to prove that the Colombian singer spent enough time in Spain in 2011 to qualify as a tax resident.
Under Spanish law, an individual must remain in the country for at least 183 days to establish tax residency. The court determined that Shakira was present in Spain for only 163 days that year, which is 20 days short of the legal requirement. Consequently, the court declared the income tax charges and fines unlawful.
Reacting to the judgment, Shakira stated that the court had finally set the record straight after eight years of orchestrated campaigns aimed at damaging her reputation.
“There was never any fraud, and the administration itself could never prove otherwise, simply because it wasn’t true,” she said.
The ordered repayment includes roughly €24 million in income tax and nearly €25 million in fines previously imposed on the singer.
However, Spain’s tax agency has announced its plan to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court. Due to this pending appeal, the funds will not be released to the singer until a final decision is reached.
The tax case dates back to the period when Shakira lived in Spain during her relationship with former Barcelona football star, Gerard Piqué.
The legal victory comes at a busy time for the artiste, who is scheduled to perform alongside Madonna and BTS at the half-time show of the upcoming FIFA Men’s World Cup final, having recently released the official tournament anthem featuring Nigerian star, Burna Boy.
