A court in Spain has cleared the Colombian pop star of tax fraud charges and directed the Spanish government to refund more than 55 million euros ($64 million) in penalties and interest that were improperly assessed, according to court documents reviewed Monday by The Associated Press.
This verdict concludes several years of tax-related legal issues in Spain for the internationally known performer.
The court’s decision centers on a disagreement regarding Shakira’s tax obligations for 2011, where Spanish tax officials failed to establish that the entertainer maintained residency in Spain, according to the Madrid court’s ruling.
Under Spanish law, an individual must remain in the country for more than 183 days annually to qualify as a tax resident. Tax officials could only demonstrate that Shakira was present in Spain for 163 days during that particular year, the court determined.
Over approximately the last ten years, Spain’s tax collection agency has pursued high-profile soccer players including Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for allegedly underpaying their tax obligations. While both athletes were convicted of tax evasion, they escaped imprisonment due to Spanish legal provisions that permit judges to suspend sentences of less than two years for individuals with no prior criminal record.
