MADRID, SPAIN (THECOUNT) — Shakira has been acquitted of tax fraud by Spain’s National High Court following an eight-year legal battle, with the court ordering Spanish tax authorities to reimburse the Colombian singer nearly $65 million plus interest, according to reports.
The ruling centers on allegations that Shakira failed to pay personal income taxes in Spain during the 2011 financial year.
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Spanish tax authorities had argued the international music star spent at least 183 days in Spain during that year, which would have legally classified her as a Spanish tax resident subject to personal income taxation.
However, the court ruled authorities failed to prove that claim.
According to the court’s findings, Shakira spent only 163 days in Spain during 2011, below the legal residency threshold required for personal tax liability.
As part of the ruling, the court ordered Spain’s treasury to refund nearly $65 million previously collected from the singer.
The reimbursement amount reportedly includes interest.
Spain’s tax agency announced it intends to appeal the decision to the Spanish Supreme Court.
Authorities also stated no repayment will be issued until the appeals process is concluded and a final ruling is entered.
Following the court’s decision, Shakira released a lengthy public statement criticizing both the investigation and the handling of the case.
In her statement, the singer said she spent more than eight years “enduring brutal public targeting” and “campaigns to destroy my reputation.”
She also stated the legal battle resulted in sleepless nights and negatively affected both her health and her family’s well-being.
Shakira maintained there “was never any fraud” and said tax authorities failed to prove wrongdoing because, according to her statement, “it wasn’t true.”
The singer further alleged that details of the case were repeatedly leaked and distorted publicly during the years-long proceedings.
According to Shakira, the court ruling represents a broader victory for taxpayers she claims are unfairly targeted by government agencies.
The decision marks another major development in the singer’s highly publicized legal issues in Spain, which have generated international media attention for years.
Born in Barranquilla, Colombia, Shakira rose to global fame through a music career spanning more than three decades.
She remains one of the world’s most commercially successful Latin music artists.
The ruling comes shortly after organizers announced Shakira will perform during the halftime show at this summer’s FIFA Men’s World Cup final alongside Madonna and BTS.
Earlier this month, Shakira also performed a free concert at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro that reportedly drew an estimated crowd of 2 million people.
No date has been announced for Spain’s expected appeal before the country’s Supreme Court.
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