Shakira settles $15M Spanish tax case, citing protection of her children, denies any wrongdoing

Shakira has addressed her decision to settle a $15 million Spanish tax fraud case, stating her primary motive was to protect her children, not because she was guilty. In a public letter published by El Mundo, the Colombian singer criticized Spanish authorities for using her as a scapegoat, accusing them of creating a “contrived story” to restore their image. “I made the decisions I made to protect them, to be by their side, not out of cowardice or guilt,” Shakira wrote, referring to her two sons, Milan and Sasha.

Shakira was accused of failing to pay nearly $16 million in taxes from 2012 to 2014, with authorities claiming she owed income tax for those years due to her residence in Spain. However, Shakira denied the accusations, asserting that she was not a Spanish resident during that period and spent only 73 days in the country in 2011, far below the 183-day threshold required to be considered a tax resident.

She explained that the tax authorities "tried to charge [her] for the past 10 years" when she decided to live in Spain as an expatriate in 2015. Shakira also noted that other agencies, including the IRS, found no issues with her tax filings.

Shakira settled the case in 2023 with a $7.5 million fine and a three-year suspended sentence. Despite the settlement, she continues to maintain her innocence. “They wanted to make the public believe that I did not pay my taxes when the truth is that I paid much more than I should have,” she added.