Shakira wins £50m tax refund from Spanish government
Colombian singer Shakira has won a court ruling against the Spanish government that returns about £50m in disputed taxes. The decision marks a significant turn in her long-running fight against tax fraud allegations brought by Madrid prosecutors.
Colombian singer Shakira has won a court ruling against the Spanish government that returns about £50m (around $65m) in disputed taxes. The decision marks a substantial victory in her long-running legal fight against tax-fraud allegations brought by prosecutors in Madrid.
Spanish prosecutors had argued that Shakira lived near Madrid between 2012 and 2014 while declaring the Bahamas as her tax base. The singer countered that she was on tour across Latin America and the wider world during the period and was not a Spanish tax resident. A higher court has now accepted that argument.
In a statement Shakira said the ruling means 'the narrative that I was guilty crumbles.' High-profile celebrity tax cases in Europe remain politically charged at a time when governments have stepped up scrutiny of artists with overseas income, and the verdict is expected to influence future cases.
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