Shakira was ordered to face trial for allegedly failing pay $13.9million in income taxes. The penalty could be severe. Prosecutors are asking for a long prison sentence and a heavy fine. Based on the results of other Spanish tax evasion cases, however, it appears unlikely that Shakira will be sentenced.
Shakira is being charged with tax evasion
The singer was accused in 2012 of not paying income taxes. The following is an extract from the New York PostShakira claimed to be spending less than half that amount of time in Spain.
Her primary residence is listed as the Bahamas now, but she once lived in Barcelona with her boyfriend, Gerard Piqué, and their two children. Shakira’s PR firm stated that she has paid everything she owes to the Spanish government, plus 3 million euros in interest.
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Although the trial date has yet to be set, Shakira will face six charges of tax fraud. Prosecutors plan to send Shakira to prison for eight year and also fine her for not paying taxes.
Soccer stars were charged with the same charges
While this sounds serious, Shakira was not the first celebrity to face tax evasion charges. Both soccer players Cristiano Ronaldo (soccer player) and Lionel Messi (soccer player) were charged with tax evasion.
Both athletes worked with Spanish authorities, and Messi claimed that he knew nothing about the fraud. “I just played football,” He told a judge. “I signed the contracts because I trusted my dad and the lawyers and we had decided that they would take charge of those things.”
Shakira Will Go To Jail
Ronaldo was sentenced to a two-year suspended prison term and fined 18.8 millions euros. The fine was reduced by 2 million euros after Ronaldo cooperated with authorities.
He was also not sent to prison because of his suspended sentence. Ronaldo was instead placed on probation. As long as he didn’t reoffend, the soccer star didn’t have to go to jail.
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Messi was sentenced to the same type of sentence as before: a 21-month suspended sentence with a fine of 1.7 million euros and a 21 month suspended sentence. These sentences were made possible by a provision which allows judges to waive sentences of less than two years imprisonment for first-time offenders.
Since Shakira is being accused of the same type of crime, it’s pretty likely that the pop star will not actually have to spend any time behind bars—but only time will tell.