Shakira has settled out of court in her tax fraud case that was set to begin today (November 20), meaning she’s avoiding the risk of going to prison.
If you aren’t aware, Spanish authorities accused the 46-year-old “She Wolf” superstar of owing millions in unpaid taxes from between 2012 and 2014, which she had repeatedly denied.
Specifically, prosecutors claim she failed to pay 14.5 million euros ($15.4 million) in taxes. Now, Shakira has worked out a deal where she’s been given a suspended three-year sentence.
She’s also being mandated to pay a fine in the equivilent of $7.6 million, NBC News reports. With this deal, Shakira has also released a lengthy statement. Keep reading to find out more… “While I was determined to defend my innocence in a trial that my lawyers were confident would have ruled in my favor, I have made the decision to finally resolve this matter with the best interest of my kids at heart who do not want to see their mom sacrifice her personal well-being in this fight,” Shakira said, referring to her sons Milan, 9, and Sasha, 7 with ex Gerard Pique.
Read more on justjared.com