Shakira ordered to stand trial over Spanish tax fraud case
Barcelona, Spain, Sep 27 (EFE).- A Spanish court on Tuesday ordered Colombian superstar Shakira to stand trial in a multimillion-euro tax fraud case.
The singer, 45, faces six counts of tax fraud for allegedly failing to pay 14.5 million euros in taxes between 2012-14.
Prosecutors are calling for her to face an eight year prison sentence and a fine of 23.8 million euros.
They allege that Shakira avoided tax payments during that time by using offshore shell companies while she resided in Barcelona with former partner, football star Gerard Piqué.
Shakira has since repaid the money claimed plus a million euros more in interest, but that does not preclude her from standing trial.
The Hips Don’t Lie singer previously declined a settlement offer, paving the way for the Barcelona court to send the case to trial on Tuesday.
Prosecutors claim that Shakira resided in Spain for more than 183 days per year between 2012-14, the minimum benchmark under Spanish legislation that stipulates tax obligations.
To avoid the tax, Shakira allegedly used a complex network of shell companies linked to tax havens including the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Malta, Panama and Luxembourg. EFE
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