Shakira loses appeal and must go to trial for tax fraud

The Barcelona Court has rejected Shakira’s appeal and confirmed her trial for six alleged crimes against the public treasury, in total €14.5 million.

in car consulted by Europa PressThe court upholds the prosecution issued by the Inquiry Court 2 of Espalagues de Llobregat (Barcelona) in July last year, and there is no general appeal against this decision, so the singer is one step away from going to trial.

The judge issued a prosecution at the end of an investigation into the case in which he examines whether Shakira had allegedly Spain stopped paying taxes in 2012, 2013 and 2014, despite being obliged to do so Because this is where his tax resided, because he had been in the country for more than 183 days a year.

Shakira’s defense resorted to this because it believed there was not enough evidence to bring her to trial, and argued that she was “resident for all purposes, including prosecutors,” in the Bahamas at the time.

Both the Investigating Judge and the Barcelona Court reject this version, and in the sense that they give as an example Shakira bought a house in May 2012 And began working on it, renting a recording studio for a year and monitoring her pregnancy in a clinic in Barcelona.

They argue that there are “substantial elements” in the case that Shakira fixed her habitual residence in Spain, and that she physically stayed in Spain for 183 days Other than outings that may be considered occasional, punctual or sporadic.

In particular, the taxes that Shakira allegedly defrauded are personal income tax (Income tax) -with a total of 12,371,197 euros- and wealth tax (ip) -2,191,771 Euro-, a total of 14,562,968 Euros between the two.

On the other hand, Section 10 of the Barcelona Court has considered the appeal of his lawyer and adviser Ezequiel C, who was also investigated in the case, and has agreed to file a case for him as he believes that the investigation has not been held responsible. commits substantive acts for allegedly abetting the alleged offence.

Defense confirms that his conduct is “outrageous”

In a statement resulting from this judicial decision, Shakira’s defense assessed that dismissing the appeal is “just another step in the process, which now continues its normal course.”

The legal team has assured that «will defend your innocenceAs it has been doing so far, through the presentation of weighty legal arguments”, evidence and expert reports that support the position of the defence.

They have claimed that “Shakira’s conduct in tax matters has always been impeccable in all countries in which she has had to pay taxes, and has relied on and faithfully followed the norms of the best experts and expert advisors.” “

In addition, he recalled that the singer “has no debts with the Spanish Treasury” as she has already paid the amounts that are claimed when the tax agency notified her.