Spain Court Acquits Shakira in Tax Fraud Case, Orders Refund of More Than 60 Million Euros

Mintesinot Niggusie

Spain’s High Court has overturned a tax fraud conviction against Colombian singer Shakira and annulled a 55 million euro penalty imposed by Spanish tax authorities in 2021, according to court documents cited in reporting, including by Reuters, on Monday.

The Spanish tax agency has said it will appeal to the Supreme Court, meaning no payment will be made until a final ruling is issued.

The High Court ruling found that prosecutors failed to prove Shakira spent more than 183 days in Spain in 2011, the threshold required under Spanish law to establish tax residency.

It concluded that the penalty was based on an unproven assumption that she was tax resident in Spain during the 2011 fiscal year, rendering the fine unlawful. The decision does not extend to tax years after 2011.

The court also ordered Spain’s Treasury to reimburse more than 60 million euros, including interest, Shakira’s defence said.

Tax authorities had argued that her links to Spain, including her relationship with former FC Barcelona player Gerard Piqué and her professional activities in the country, were sufficient to establish residency.

Shakira’s lawyer José Luis Prada welcomed the ruling, describing it as the end of an “eight-year ordeal” and criticising administrative practice in the case.

In comments cited by Reuters, Shakira said she hoped the decision would serve as a precedent for individuals facing prolonged tax disputes and legal pressure from authorities.

The ruling follows a separate 2023 settlement in which Shakira accepted charges in a Barcelona court over allegations of unpaid income tax between 2012 and 2014, agreeing to pay a fine of more than 7.3 million euros as part of the agreement.