‘There was never fraud, and the administration itself was never able to demonstrate otherwise, simply because it wasn’t true’, wrote the artist
A Colombian star Shakirawhich in the past faced the tax authorities in Spain, won a victory after the Spanish court annulled a tax sanction and ordered the return of more than 64 million dollars (R$ 324.5 million).
The Audiencia Nacional, a jurisdiction in Madrid specializing in complex financial matters, ruled in mid-April “the cancellation of the settlement carried out and the consequent return of the amounts paid (…) plus legal interest” for the 2011 fiscal year, according to a document to which AFP had access this Monday (18).
The total amount that must be reimbursed to the world star will exceed 55 million euros (R$324.5 million), according to the document.
Shakira, who even compared the Spanish Tax Agency to the Inquisition, celebrated the decision, which in her view “put things in their rightful place”.
“There was never any fraud, and the administration itself was never able to demonstrate otherwise, simply because it was not true,” the 49-year-old artist wrote in a statement.
“I was treated as guilty, every step of the process was leaked, distorted and amplified, and my name and my public figure were used to send a threatening message to the rest of the taxpayers,” said the singer.
Shakira said she hopes the decision sets “precedent” for “thousands of anonymous citizens” who are “crushed by a system that presumes their guilt.”
183 dias
The center of the artist’s conflicts with the tax authorities in Spain was mainly related to the artist’s tax residencewho in 2011 began a relationship with then Barcelona player Gerard Piqué.
At that time, the performer of global hits such as “Hips Don’t Lie”, “Waka Waka” and “Dai Dai”, the latter being the official song of the 2026 North American World Cup, did not stop traveling the world due to her career.
Shakira has always stated that settled permanently in Barcelona at the end of 2014before In 2015, he transferred his tax residence from the Bahamas to Spain, shortly before the birth of his second child.
However, the Spanish tax authorities did not see the situation in the same way and accused her of not having paid her taxes in Spain in 2012, 2013 and 2014, despite having resided in the country for more than 183 days in each of those years, the limit beyond which a person is considered a tax resident.
The singer reached a last-minute agreement with the Prosecutor’s Office in 2023 and thus avoided a trial for alleged tax crimes in those years, which promised to expose her private life.
According to the decision released this Monday, “the administration did not demonstrate that the plaintiff had stayed in Spain” in 2011 “for more than 183 days”.
“It doesn’t matter whether or not the Bahamas was a tax haven in 2011,” he adds.
TV series
The amount that must be reinstated includes income tax, which totals more than 24 million euros (R$159.6 million), the fine imposed at the time for a “very serious” infraction, of almost 25 million euros (R$166.2 million), the 2011 wealth tax, of 2.6 million euros (R$17.3 million), and the fine corresponding to the latter, of 2.7 million euros (R$ 17.9 million). Interest must be added to this sum.
O The tax authorities had also initiated a procedure for the year 2018, and the artist had to pay 6.6 million euros (R$43.9 million) in regularization due to “irregularities” in her 2018 income tax declaration.
This case, full of twists and turns, inspired a series called “Celeste”, starring a Spanish tax inspector who investigates the possible tax evasion of an international Latin music star.
For the first time since 2018, Shakira will perform in Spain, with 12 dates planned in Madrid, between September 18th and October 11th.
In addition to the Colombian, several personalities had problems with the Spanish tax authorities, such as players Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who were also sentenced to fines of several million euros.
