Shakira reaches settlement to avoid Spain tax fraud trial

Barcelona [Spain], November 21: Colombian singer Shakira reached a settlement with Spanish prosecutors and will avoid going to trial for allegedly failing to pay €14.5 million ($15.7 million) on income tax earned between 2012 and 2014, a court in Barcelona said Monday.
The pop superstar will be fined over €7.3 million.
The matter centered around how much time the singer spent in Spain between 2012 and 2014, with authorities alleging that she spent more than half of that period in the country and was therefore required to pay taxes.
Prosecutors said she moved to Spain after her relationship with former FC Barcelona defender Gerard Pique became public in 2011, but maintained official tax residency in the Bahamas until 2015.
Shakira's lawyers argued that until 2014, she was leading what they called a "nomadic life" and earned most of her income from international tours.
The trial had been expected to continue until December 14, with a schedule of nearly 120 witnesses to be heard.
Shakira was among a list of celebrities named in the so-called "Pandora Papers" leak, which laid bare the wealth and tax avoidance strategies of the world's wealthy.
Spain has also taken a tough stance on celebrities like football stars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for not having their tax affairs in order.
Source: Times of Oman