Singer Shakira Faces Tax Evasion Charges In Spain

Over the course of these last few years, the authorities of Spain have come under criticism for particularly targeting the footballer’s resident in the country for evading tax. The tax authorities have reportedly accused different superstars such as Lionel Messi, Javier Mascherano and Cristiano Ronaldo of tax evasion.

The tax authorities have reportedly accused different superstars such as Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano for evading tax

This past week, the tax authorities of Spain changed their approach as their focus was on Gerard Piqué’s partner. Piqué is a footballer who plays for the FC Barcelona. Piqué’s partner happens to be Shakira, the international singing sensation. The tax authorities in Spain have slammed Shakira with allegations of tax evasion for the year 2012 to 2014.

Tax Accusations Against Shakira

Shakira Ripoll was born and also raised in Barranquilla, a city located in Colombia. Popularly known by her stage name, Shakira, she was born in the year 1977. Shakira’s debut album, Magia got a spot on the charts as far back as 1990 when she was only thirteen years old. Within one decade, she has succeeded in selling millions of her albums and has gone on to gain so much popularity.

Eight years ago, she recorded Waka Waka, also called This Time For Africa. The song was the official track of the FIFA World Cup of 2010. The video of the song currently has over two billion YouTube views.  It was during the period when she filmed the video for that song that she met the FC Barcelona footballer. Piqué went on to make an appearance in her 2014 follow-up song for World Cup titled La La La (Brazil).

Shakira has succeeded in selling millions of her albums in one decade

Within a couple of years, Shakira and Piqué officially became an item. The singer birthed their first son in 2013. At that time, different news agencies also reported that they birthed their baby in Barcelona where Shakira and her partner currently reside.

The topic of her residence is actually what has led to the current tax evasion allegations levied against her. She previously lived in the Bahamas which is reportedly more tax-friendly. According to the authorities of Spain, Shakira continued claiming that she resided in the Bahamas just for tax purposes till 2015 when she decided to select Spain as her official residence.

However, the tax authorities in Spain are claiming that Shakira resided in Spain between 2011 and 2014 and wasn’t resident in the Bahamas as she claimed. Sometime earlier, she paid over 20 million euros amounting to $22.6 million as settlement of part of the alleged debt although she didn’t admit to owing tax.

It will be recalled that Lionel Messi did a similar thing when he paid 5 million euros which were approximately $6.6 million at the time in what he referred to as corrective payment to the tax authorities in Spain. He was subsequently charged and also convicted of evading tax.

Claims by Tax Authorities

The tax authorities of Spain argue that the singer has unpaid taxes amounting to 14.5 million euros which is approximately $16.4 million. The tax authorities are seeking to charge her for failure to pay her tax between 2012 and 2014 as they allege that she purposely took different steps aimed at concealing where she resided during that period for the purposes of tax. It is worthy to note that 2011 has been excluded because it has been statute-barred.

The Spanish law provides that where an individual has spent a minimum of six months plus an extra day in Spain, such individual is deemed to be a tax resident of Spain and is, therefore, subject to pay tax on earned worldwide income.

Authorities Investigation Methods

It is alleged that the investigators were unable to prove with sufficient certainty that the singer lived for a minimum of 183 days in the years in question. However, it is the claim of the tax authorities that her absence during the years in question was sporadic. Also, it is their claim that between those years, she wasn’t physically present for a full day in the Bahamas.

Investigations into her residence have been going on for over a year and as part of the tax investigators’ efforts geared at establishing her residency, they followed her to the places where she regularly went, such as her hairdresser’s place. They even tracked her activity across her social media platforms, such as Instagram where she has over fifty-five million followers.

The tax authorities followed Shakira to the places where she regularly went, such as her hairdresser’s place

Sources report that the case against her will now proceed to the court and a judge will make the decision as to whether or not to accept the criminal claims levied against her by prosecutors. The singer has, however, denied all such tax allegations.