The trial was short-lived for Shakira. The Colombian singer and the Spanish prosecutor’s office have sealed an agreement ending the star’s tax fraud trial, which had just opened in Barcelona. Accused of tax fraud of nearly 14.5 million euros, the international star finally admitted his guilt and agreed to pay a fine of 7.3 million euros, the president of the court announced on Monday.
As part of this agreement, the Colombian artist receives a three-year suspended prison sentence, which will be commuted to a fine, and a financial sanction in an amount equivalent to “50%” of the fraud, he declared at the start of the hearing. The singer, present on site, admitted her guilt and accepted the sentences imposed.
The prosecution accused Shakira of not having paid her taxes in Spain in 2012, 2013 and 2014 when, according to him, she had lived in those years more than 183 days per year in the country, the threshold beyond which a person must be considered as a tax resident there. He had requested a sentence of eight years and two months in prison and a fine of 23.8 million euros against him.