A Spanish court has mandated the country’s tax authority to refund €55 million (£48 million, $64 million) to singer Shakira after ruling that the money had been improperly collected in a tax dispute. The national high court acquitted the Colombian singer of tax fraud and ordered the Spanish Treasury to repay the sum plus interest, noting that the tax authorities failed to prove Shakira had spent 183 days in Spain in 2011, the minimum days necessary for tax residency.
Shakira expressed relief after the ruling, stating that the court 'finally set the record straight' after enduring years of public targeting and personal distress tied to the issue. The repayment comprises about €24 million (£21 million) in income taxes and nearly €25 million (£22 million) in fines deemed 'very serious' by tax authorities.
The tax agency plans to appeal to the Supreme Court, hence no payments will be made until a final ruling is reached. Shakira, who shares two children with her former partner Gerard Pique, had been living in Spain since 2010 but maintained that she spent insufficient time there for tax purposes in the specified year.
The high court identified that she had actually spent only 163 days in Spain during the 2011 fiscal year—20 days short of the residency requirement.
Earlier, in 2023, Shakira had reached an agreement with Spanish prosecutors regarding a separate tax fraud case for the years 2012-2014, where she settled by paying a €7.5 million (£6.5 million) fine while denying any wrongdoing. The recent ruling could potentially allow her to move past the intense scrutiny from financial authorities, especially as she prepares for a residency in Madrid and returns to performing, including a significant presence at the upcoming FIFA Men's World Cup.
Shakira expressed relief after the ruling, stating that the court 'finally set the record straight' after enduring years of public targeting and personal distress tied to the issue. The repayment comprises about €24 million (£21 million) in income taxes and nearly €25 million (£22 million) in fines deemed 'very serious' by tax authorities.
The tax agency plans to appeal to the Supreme Court, hence no payments will be made until a final ruling is reached. Shakira, who shares two children with her former partner Gerard Pique, had been living in Spain since 2010 but maintained that she spent insufficient time there for tax purposes in the specified year.
The high court identified that she had actually spent only 163 days in Spain during the 2011 fiscal year—20 days short of the residency requirement.
Earlier, in 2023, Shakira had reached an agreement with Spanish prosecutors regarding a separate tax fraud case for the years 2012-2014, where she settled by paying a €7.5 million (£6.5 million) fine while denying any wrongdoing. The recent ruling could potentially allow her to move past the intense scrutiny from financial authorities, especially as she prepares for a residency in Madrid and returns to performing, including a significant presence at the upcoming FIFA Men's World Cup.
