Pop Star Shakira Pays 10.3 Billion Won Tax Evasion Fine in Spain to Avoid Prison Sentence

Agreement with Local Prosecution

Shakira, the 'Queen of Latin Pop,' who was indicted in Spain on charges of massive tax evasion, has agreed to pay a fine of 10.3 billion KRW to avoid imprisonment.

Shakira is holding a press conference in Miami, USA, in 2020.
[Photo by AP Yonhap News]

According to foreign media including the UK’s BBC on the 20th (local time), Shakira appeared for the first time at a court in Barcelona, Spain, and reached an agreement with the prosecution under these conditions. Instead of a prison sentence, Shakira agreed to a three-year suspended sentence and to pay a fine of 7.3 million euros (approximately 10.3 billion KRW), which is half of the unpaid taxes amounting to 14.5 million euros (about 20.4 billion KRW). During the trial, when the judge asked if she acknowledged the facts, Shakira responded, "Yes."

Shakira, originally from Colombia, lived with Gerard Piqu?, the 'legendary defender' of Spanish professional football club FC Barcelona, for 11 years since 2011 and had two children. The couple lived together in Barcelona but ended their relationship last year after Piqu? grew close to another woman. Currently, Shakira resides in Miami, USA.

The Spanish prosecution has been investigating Shakira’s tax evasion allegations since 2018. The prosecution judged that since Shakira spent more than half of the period from 2012 to 2014 in Spain, she was required to pay income tax to the Spanish government, even though her official residence was in the Bahamas. On the other hand, Shakira’s side denied the charges, claiming that she did not stay in Spain for more than 60 days annually during that period. They argued that she was away from Barcelona for extended periods due to her world tour and stayed in the US for a long time as a judge on NBC’s audition music program, The Voice.

Previously, the Spanish prosecution cracked down on tax evasion by celebrities active in Spain, including football players. In 2017, Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo (then at Real Madrid) was indicted for tax evasion of 14.7 million euros (equivalent to 19.2 billion KRW at the time) and reached an agreement with authorities involving a fine of 24.7 billion KRW and a two-year suspended sentence. In 2016, Argentine football star Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona) was sentenced to a 21-month suspended sentence for failing to pay 4.1 million euros (equivalent to 5.4 billion KRW at the time) in taxes.

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