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Shakira Faces Eight Years in Prison After a Judge Orders a Trial

Shakira has been ordered to stand trial for tax evasion by Spanish courts. If found guilty, the Colombian music star, 45, could face up to eight years in prison.

Shakira has categorically denied the allegations.

The ‘Wherever, Whenever’ singer is accused of defrauding the Spanish tax office of €14.5 million (£12.2 million) on income earned between 2012 and 2014.

The mother-of-two turned down a plea bargain because her lawyers claimed she was ‘absolutely certain of her innocence.’

Shakira is accused of lying about where she lived during those years and of evading taxes by using a complex offshore corporate structure.

At the time, she was in a relationship with Gerard Pique. They announced their split earlier this year.

If she went to trial and was convicted, Spanish state prosecutors demanded an eight-year prison sentence.

If Shakira is found guilty at the end of the trial, she could face a €23 million (£19.2 million) fine in addition to the prison sentence.

Shakira confirmed in July that she had turned down an out-of-court settlement that included admitting to evading taxes after being charged.

For tax purposes, people are considered Spanish residents if they spend more than 183 days in a calendar year in Spain. Official residents in Spain are required to pay Spanish taxes on their worldwide earnings.

Tax inspectors conducted a thorough investigation into Shakira’s personal life from 2012 to 2014, including an examination of her social media to prove she spent the majority of her time in Spain.

According to them, the singer spent 242 days in Spain in 2012, 212 days in 2013, and 243 days in 2014.

Shakira has stated that she does not avoid paying taxes. According to her public relations team, the singer has always paid her taxes on time.

Shakira stated on Wednesday (June 27) 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 Pique of FC Barcelona.

Milan, nine, and Sasha, seven, are the former couple’s children. In June, they announced their breakup.

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