Shakira may be liable to a 20 million euro penalty for failing to pay millions in taxes from 2012 to 2014.
Prosecutors in Spain said if Colombian music artist Shakira is guilty in her upcoming trial for suspected tax fraud, they would urge a judge to sentence her to eight years and two months in jail.
Although a trial date has not yet been scheduled, it was revealed on Friday (July 29) that the “Hips Don’t Lie” hitmaker could spend eight years and two months in prison if found guilty.
It is alleged that between 2012 and 2014, Shakira failed to pay the government 15.5 million euros in taxes. Shakira rejected an earlier this year offer of a plea bargain and chose to proceed with a trial. There is no established time yet.
Shakira is accused of six felonies, according to the indictment. This last week, the singer turned down a plea bargain from the prosecution and chose to go to prosecution instead. Shakira “has always cooperated and abided by the law, demonstrating impeccable conduct as an individual and a taxpayer.” according to a statement sent by her publicists in London on Friday. The Spanish Tax Agency was accused of abusing her rights by the publicists.
#BREAKING Spain prosecutors call for eight-year prison sentence for Shakira over tax fraud pic.twitter.com/Wf3eoJD7Vu
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) July 29, 2022
According to Barcelona’s authorities, the Grammy winner should have paid taxes in Spain as she stayed over half of each year between 2012 and 2014 there.
Gerard Piqué, a player for FC Barcelona, and Shakira split up recently after an 11-year romance. The family formerly called Barcelona home.
