“Let’s go,” Shakira called out to the waiting journalists, then the Latin pop icon with the million-dollar hip swing disappeared into the courthouse, where a surprise was announced shortly afterwards: there is one in the criminal tax case against the singer, 46, before the trial even begins out-of-court settlement was reached.
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, as the Colombian’s full name is, admitted on Monday in court in Barcelona to tax evasion totaling 14.5 million euros between 2012 and 2014. She said “si”, yes, three times, “gracias”, thank you once, and then her appearance in court was over again, writes the Spanish newspaper El Pais. The appointment only lasted ten minutes.
This was apparently preceded by weeks of negotiations. Until now, Shakira had always emphasized her innocence and portrayed herself as the victim of “bitter persecution” by the tax authorities. Through her U-turn, she now escapes the prison sentence of eight years and two months demanded by the public prosecutor. In addition to an additional payment that has already been made (Shakira has already transferred 17.2 million euros to the tax authorities in 2018), the 46-year-old will have to pay a fine, the exact amount of which is not yet known.
After breaking up with Piqué, Shakira moved to Miami, but where did the relationship begin?
At its core, the dispute was about the question of where the relationship between Shakira and professional soccer player Gerard Piqué began. In Barcelona, where he was under contract? Or in the Bahamas, where she had a house and there was no capital gains or wealth tax, but there was strict banking secrecy, making it an ideal place to hide money? The two met in South Africa in 2010 shortly before the World Cup, both at the peak of their careers: “Waka Waka” was the official song for the tournament, Spain became world champions. The couple had two children, but Shakira always emphasized that she only moved to Barcelona when her second son was born in 2015.
The tax officials allegedly went to great lengths to prove the opposite – according to media reports, they scoured the pop star’s life for a year, scoured social networks, visited gyms and exclusive hairdressers (Shakira’s curls are part of her brand) to find out where the singer was because she now spent the majority of her time and was therefore subject to tax. 117 witnesses who were in personal and professional contact with the Colombian were supposed to testify in the trial.
Shakira now no longer lives in Barcelona, but in Miami. After ten years, she and Piqué separated in mid-2022; he is said to have cheated on her with a student. The affair was discovered because her rival was said to have helped herself to the world-famous singer’s strawberry jam. Shakira also deals with the separation musically – and released one song after the other about her ex. After the agreement, she explained: “I have to choose my battles and the most important thing now is to do everything so that my children lead a fulfilling life. “