Barcelona, (Spain). Pop singer Shakira agreed to a settlement with Spanish authorities on Monday, the first day of a tax fraud trial here. This has saved her from jail sentence.
Shakira, 46, told Magistrate Jose Manuel del Amo that she accepted the deal reached with prosecutors. The singer answered 'yes' to six charges of failing to pay taxes amounting to 14.5 million euros (15.8 million US dollars) to the Spanish government between 2012 and 2014. Under the agreement, Shakira is to receive a three-year suspended sentence and pay a fine amounting to millions of euros. The hearing was adjourned after just eight minutes. Prosecutors said in July that they would ask the court to impose a prison sentence of about eight years and also ask for a fine of 24 million euros (26 million US dollars). Shakira was summoned to appear in a Barcelona court on Monday in a tax fraud case. The case is based on Shakira's residence during the period 2012 to 2014.
Prosecutors in Barcelona have alleged that the Colombian singer lived in Spain for more than half of that period and therefore should have paid taxes on her repatriated income in the country, even though her official residence was still in the Bahamas. Tax rates in the Bahamas are much lower than in Spain. Shakira has denied the allegations of non-payment of taxes, saying that she has paid all her dues. Shakira's public relations company said the pop star had already paid off all her dues and paid an additional 3 million euros (about US$3.2 million) in interest.
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