On Friday, Spanish prosecutors demanded eight years and two months in prison for Colombian singer Shakira, who refused a plea deal in the context of tax fraud charges.
The public prosecutor’s office has fined charges against the 45-year-old songwriter, accused of damaging the state with €14.5 million, between 2012 and 2014, for failing to pay rent and property taxes. It should be noted that the alleged crimes are considered aggravating for two reasons: the high amount and the use of tax havens.
According to El País, in addition to the prison sentence, the public prosecutor is asking for a fine of 23.7 million euros. The Spanish newspaper also revealed that the only mitigating factor that the authorities admitted was the fact that Shakira offered 17.2 million euros to respond to the wrongdoing.
According to the prosecution, in the years in question, the artist was already living with her ex-partner Gerard Pique in Barcelona, so she had to bear the tax burden of a Spanish citizen. At the start of the investigation, the Colombian woman said she had tax residency in the Bahamas.
So the court should, in the coming weeks, issue an order to open the trial, which could force Shakira to sit in the dock.
Salman Rushdie is a journalist and feature writer specialising in culture, politics, literature, and international affairs. He focuses on delivering clear, informative reporting that helps readers understand the people, events, and trends influencing today’s world.
