Shakira faces eight years in prison as judge orders trial
Gregory Robinson
Featured Image Credit: REUTERS/Independent Photo Agency Srl/Alamy Stock Photo
Shakira has been ordered to stand trial for tax evasion, Spanish courts have decided
The Colombian music star, 45, could face up to eight years in prison if she is found guilty.
Shakira has vehemently denied the accusations.
The 'Wherever, Whenever' singer has been accused of defrauding the Spanish tax office out of €14.5 million (£12.2 million) on the income she earned between between 2012 and 2014.
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The mum-of-two rejected a plea deal, as lawyers claimed the songstress was 'absolutely certain of her innocence'.
Shakira is accused of lying about where she lived during those years as well as using a complex offshore corporate structure to avoid paying tax.
She was in a relationship with Gerard Pique at the time. Earlier this year they confirmed their split.
Spanish state prosecutors demanded the eight-year jail sentence if she went to trial and was convicted.
In addition to the prison sentence, Shakira could be charged a €23 million (£19.2 million) fine if she is found guilty at the end of the trial.
In July Shakira confirmed she had rejected an out-of-court deal believed to have requested admitting to avoiding her taxes after she was charged.
People are considered Spanish residents for tax purposes if they spend more than 183 days in a given calendar year in Spain. Official residents in Spain must pay Spanish taxes on their worldwide income.
Tax inspectors conducted a thorough investigation into Shakira’s personal life during the 2012 to 2014 period, including analysing her social media to argue she spent most of her time in Spain.
They argue the ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ singer spent 242 days in Spain in 2012, 212 days in 2013 and 243 days in the country in 2014.
Shakira has denied avoiding her taxes. Her public relations team said the singer has always fulfilled her tax duties.
On Wednesday (27 June), Shakira stated that the prosecutor's office used 'abusive methods' during their investigation, and that they are 'insisting on claiming money earned during my international tours and the show The Voice', when she was 'not yet resident in Spain'.
Shakira recently ended her 11-year relationship with FC Barcelona's Pique.
The former couple, are parents to Milan, nine, and Sasha, seven. They announced their split in June.
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