Shakira charged with tax evasion

According to The Independent, the singer is alleged to have avoided €14.5m in tax saying that she lived in the Bahamas when she actually resided in Catalonia, Spain.

The charges published alleged that Shakira listed the Bahamas as her official residence for tax purposes, but was living in Spain between 2012 and 2014 with her partner and Spanish soccer player, Gerard Pique, saying that she should have paid tax on her income for that time in Spain. Tax rates are much lower in the Bahamas than in Spain.

According to ABC13, Shakira said in a statement through her representatives that she was not a legal resident in Spain during the years in question and owed nothing to the Spanish tax authorities.

Prosecutors in Barcelona said that Shakira’s travel abroad was for short periods and that she stayed in Spain for most of the years.

The news comes just 11 months after the Spanish authorities announced an investigation into Shakira’s tax status. It will be left to a judge to decide if there is enough evidence for Shakira to face trial.