Colombian pop singer Shakira faces up to eight years in prison in a case in which Spanish prosecutors have accused her of tax fraud.
Shakira, whose full name is Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, is facing six charges for failing to pay the Spanish government nearly $15 million in taxes between 2012 and 2014. Prosecutors said they would also seek a $24.5 million fine.
The singer “relies on her innocence and chooses to leave the matter in the hands of the law,” her PR agency Llorente y Cuenca said in a statement on Wednesday.
Here’s everything you need to know about the pending tax fraud case:
Will Shakira face tax evasion?
Shakira’s tax fraud case is expected to go to trial after the 45-year-old singer rejected a settlement agreement offered by prosecutors. A trial date has not yet been set.
If she is convicted, prosecutors will ask the court to impose a sentence of eight years and two months.
A judge can impose prison terms for first-time offenders if they are sentenced to less than two years behind bars.
Tax fraud case:Spanish prosecutors demand 8 years in prison for singer Shakira
When was Shakira charged with tax fraud?
Prosecutors accused Shakira of tax evasion in December 2018, claiming she had not paid millions in taxes to the Spanish government between 2012 and 2014.
Shakira listed the Bahamas as her official residence for tax purposes during those years, but prosecutors say she was in fact living in Spain with her now-ex-partner, Spanish footballer Gerard Piqué, father of her two children.
Shakira accused:Spanish court finds singer with lawsuit for tax evasion of millions of dollars in Spain
What did Shakira say about the tax fraud lawsuit?
Shakira testified before a judge in 2019 as part of an investigation into her alleged tax evasion and denied any wrongdoing. Her PR agency said she immediately paid what she owed with interest, with interest, as soon as she was notified of the debt by the IRS.
The case depends on where she has lived in those years.
Earlier:Shakira denies any wrongdoing in Spanish tax fraud case
The court rejected her appeal in May and recommended a lawsuit.
Spanish judge Marco Juberías wrote that his three-year investigation had found that there was “sufficient evidence of crime” to take the case to court.
Contributors: Elise Brisco, USA TODAY, and The Associated Press
