Ellise Shafer Shakira has reached a deal with Spanish authorities to settle her tax fraud case, on the day the trial was set to begin.
The Colombian pop star was due to appear in court on Monday to face tax evasion charges. Spanish authorities had claimed Shakira owed over €14.5 million in taxes between 2012 and 2014, alleging that she had listed the Bahamas as her primary residence for those years but had in fact spent the majority of her time in Spain.
Shakira repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, and opted to take the case to trial instead of accepting a settlement offer from the authorities in July 2022.
According to the Associated Press, Shakira’s deal includes a suspended three-year sentence and a €7 million fine. In a statement to Variety, the singer said: “Throughout my career, I have always strived to do what’s right and set a positive example for others.
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