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Shakira pays millions to avoid jail - 11th Dec 2023

In a last-minute deal, Colombian pop sensation Shakira has come to an agreement with the Spanish authorities. She's agreed to hand over more than 22 million euros for failing to pay income tax for three years.

Before going to trial, Spanish authorities agreed to drop the possibility of an eight-year prison sentence in return for the original amount owed of 14.5 million euros, plus a 50 percent fine.

Spanish prosecuting lawyers argued that the singer had lived in a Barcelona property for over six months a year between 2012 and 2014, and was therefore obliged to pay Spanish income tax. Shakira's legal team denied this claim, stating her first home was actually in the Bahamas.

Although Shakira had originally intended to fight for justice in court, after several long years, she reached a different conclusion. The celebrity, now 46, accepted the legal settlement despite declaring she was innocent, expressing concern for her own and her children's well-being. “I have made the decision to finally resolve this matter with the best interest of my kids,” she said.

For 11 years, Shakira lived with former Barcelona footballer Gerard Piqué, with whom she had two sons. Once the couple separated in 2022, Shakira moved with the boys to Miami. The award-winning singer said, ”The Spanish tax authorities saw that I was dating a Spanish citizen and started to salivate. It's clear they wanted to go after that money, no matter what.”

For several celebrities, the terrifying possibility of spending time in a Spanish jail has resulted similarly. High-profile footballers Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been prosecuted and, like Shakira, forced to reach a financial settlement.

Spain's strict tax laws may be connected to the economic problems of Covid-19, but the message is evident to all wealthy non-nationals – you're welcome to stay, as long as you pay.