[Spain] Shakira acquitted and fines returned in tax fraud case

In Spain, the Colombian pop star Shakira has been acquitted in a tax fraud case, and the court has ordered the government to return more than €55 million in wrongly imposed fines, KRWG reports.

According to a court document seen by The Associated Press, the ruling concerns a dispute over the 2011 tax year in which Spanish authorities failed to prove that the singer was a resident of Spain.

For an individual to be considered a tax resident in Spain, they must spend more than 183 days in the country.

Spanish authorities were reportedly only able to prove that Shakira lived in Spain that year for a total of 163 days, the Madrid-based court said in its decision, ordering the Treasury to reimburse the singer the tax paid plus interest.

At that time, Spain's tax agency stated that Shakira was tied to Spain through her relationship with now-retired soccer player Gerard Piqué, and that she based her main economic activities in the country.

The High Court ruled that the relationship could not be legally equated to a marital one, and it was not proven that "the main centre or base" of Shakira's activities or economic interests in 2011 were directly or indirectly located in Spain.

In a statement provided by her lawyers, Shakira said, "There was never any fraud, and the Tax Agency itself was never able to prove otherwise, simply because it wasn't true."

Her lawyer, José Luís Prada, stated that Spain's Treasury is to reimburse the singer 60 million euros (almost $70 million), including interest. 

"This resolution comes after an eight-year ordeal that has taken an unacceptable toll, reflecting a lack of rigour in administrative practices," he said in a statement.

In the past decade, Spanish tax authorities have reportedly been cracking down on prominent figures, pursuing soccer stars including Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for failing to pay their taxes in full. The players were found guilty of tax evasion but avoided prison time due to a provision that permits a judge to waive sentences of under two years for first-time offenders.

Source: KRWG

(Quotes via original reporting)

In Spain, the Colombian pop star Shakira has been acquitted in a tax fraud case, and the court has ordered the government to return more than €55 million in wrongly imposed fines, KRWG reports.

According to a court document seen by The Associated Press, the ruling concerns a dispute over the 2011 tax year in which Spanish authorities failed to prove that the singer was a resident of Spain.

For an individual to be considered a tax resident in Spain, they must spend more than 183 days in the country.

Spanish authorities were reportedly only able to prove that Shakira lived in Spain that year for a total of 163 days, the Madrid-based court said in its decision, ordering the Treasury to reimburse the singer the tax paid plus interest.

At that time, Spain's tax agency stated that Shakira was tied to Spain through her relationship with now-retired soccer player Gerard Piqué, and that she based her main economic activities in the country.

The High Court ruled that the relationship could not be legally equated to a marital one, and it was not proven that "the main centre or base" of Shakira's activities or economic interests in 2011 were directly or indirectly located in Spain.

In a statement provided by her lawyers, Shakira said, "There was never any fraud, and the Tax Agency itself was never able to prove otherwise, simply because it wasn't true."

Her lawyer, José Luís Prada, stated that Spain's Treasury is to reimburse the singer 60 million euros (almost $70 million), including interest. 

"This resolution comes after an eight-year ordeal that has taken an unacceptable toll, reflecting a lack of rigour in administrative practices," he said in a statement.

In the past decade, Spanish tax authorities have reportedly been cracking down on prominent figures, pursuing soccer stars including Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for failing to pay their taxes in full. The players were found guilty of tax evasion but avoided prison time due to a provision that permits a judge to waive sentences of under two years for first-time offenders.

Source: KRWG

(Quotes via original reporting)