Singer Shakira pleads guilty to tax fraud

Singer Shakira struck a deal with Spanish prosecutors on Monday, November 20, ending her trial for tax fraud recently opened in Barcelona, ​​in exchange for her guilty plea and a €7.3 million fine.

As part of this agreement announced by the president of the court on Monday, the Colombian artist will receive a three-year suspended sentence, which will be replaced by a fine and a financial sanction of an equivalent amount. “50%” About the fraud, the judge said at the opening of the trial. According to the information provided by the court, this fine amounts to more than 7.3 million euros. The Colombian singer has already paid 17.2 million euros to the Spanish tax authorities in this case to settle his situation.

Arriving in court around 9 a.m., the star, dressed in pink, pleaded guilty to the judge and said she accepted the sentence. He left the court immediately after the verdict, without making a statement to the press.

Taxes were avoided in Spain from 2012 to 2014

In a press release sent by his lawyers, the singer continues to make his announcement “innocence” And claims she chose to plead guilty to protect her career and her children over her own “years” legal procedure.

“I had two options: to continue the fight until the end, to risk the peace of myself and my children, to stop making songs, albums and tours.”or “Shut up and leave this chapter of my life”he assures us. “I have to pick my battles and the most important thing for me right now is to do everything I can to make sure my kids live a fulfilling life and focus on what’s really important: watching them grow and having fun.”– adds the singer.

Prosecutors accused Shakira of not paying taxes in Spain in 2012, 2013 and 2014, when they said she lived in the country for more than one hundred and ninety-three days in those years, over the threshold. The person must be considered a tax resident. He demanded a prison term of eight years and two months and a fine of 23.8 million euros.