A few weeks before a trial for alleged tax fraud, charges have been brought against pop singer Shakira in another case in Spain. According to court documents published on Tuesday, the public prosecutor’s office in the Barcelona region accuses the Colombian of withholding around six million euros from the Spanish state.
According to the new allegations, Shakira is said to have used offshore companies in tax havens in 2018 in order to pay significantly less income and wealth tax.
The new tax investigations against Shakira had already become known in July, but information about the sum allegedly evaded was not made public at the time. Taking into account interest and administrative costs, Shakira is said to owe the Spanish tax authorities 6.6 million euros in this case.
The singer’s lawyers said on Tuesday that Shakira has not received any “official notice” of the proceedings at her current residence in the US coastal city of Miami. The singer is preparing for her trial on November 20th in another case of alleged tax fraud.
This trial before a court in Barcelona concerns alleged offenses between 2012 and 2014. Shakira is said to have failed to pay tax on part of her income from her tours in Spain – even though she was living there for more than 183 days per year at the time, which meant that the country became their main tax residence under Spanish law.
The public prosecutor’s office is demanding more than eight years in prison and a fine of almost 24 million euros.
Shakira lived on the outskirts of Barcelona until she separated from her long-term partner, professional soccer player Gerard Piqué, last year. In April, Shakira announced that she had permanently moved away from the Catalan coastal town with their children.
