Spain's High Court has acquitted Colombian pop star Shakira of tax fraud and ordered the Treasury to refund her €55 million (£48m, $64m) plus interest. The court ruled that authorities failed to prove she spent more than 183 days in Spain in 2011, which is required for residents to pay personal income tax there.
Key Takeaways
Spain's High Court has acquitted Colombian pop star Shakira of tax fraud and ordered the Treasury to refund her €55 million plus interest. The court ruled that authorities failed to prove she spent more than 183 days in Spain in 2011, which is required for residents to pay personal income tax there.
- Court acquits Shakira of tax fraud after eight-year case
- Spain ordered to refund €55 million plus interest
- Tax agency plans to appeal the decision
- Case involved only the 2011 tax year
The ruling includes about €24 million (£21m) in income tax and almost €25 million (£22m) in fines for what authorities had described as a 'very serious' infringement. The court said the fines were unlawful because they relied on the assumption that Spain was her tax residence for the 2011 fiscal year, 'a fact which has not been proven'.
The tax agency said it would appeal to the Supreme Court and that no payment would be made until the final ruling. Shakira's lawyer, Jose Luis Prada, welcomed the court’s decision in a statement, saying that it 'comes after an eight-year ordeal that has taken an unacceptable toll, reflecting a lack of rigour in administrative practice'.
The case does not involve tax years after 2011. Shakira said the court had 'finally set the record straight' after she had spent eight years 'enduring brutal public targeting, orchestrated campaigns to destroy my reputation, and sleepless nights that ultimately impacted my health and my family's well-being'. She dedicated her victory to the 'thousands of ordinary citizens' made to similarly prove their innocence at 'the cost of economic and emotional ruin'.
The latest ruling comes as Shakira is set to wrap up her Women Don't Cry Anymore world tour with a residency in Madrid from September. She will also perform alongside Madonna and BTS during the half-time show at this summer's Fifa Men's World Cup final.
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