Pop Star Shakira to Face Second Tax Fraud Probe in Spain

By Muri Assunção, New York Daily News (TNS)

Shakira could potentially face additional fraud charges in Spain, a court near Barcelona said Thursday.

The Colombian-born pop superstar—who will soon stand trial for allegedly failing to pay 14.5 million euros ($13.9 million) in taxes between 2012 and 2014—will now be investigated for two possible cases of tax evasion from 2018.

A judge in Esplugues de Llobregat, a town just east of Barcelona, has allowed prosecutors to go ahead with the second investigation, though it didn’t provide any details.

Reps for the multi-Grammy-winning singer said she has yet to receive an official notification from the court, adding she had “always acted in concordance with the law and on the advice of her financial advisers.”

The 46-year-old singer and songwriter, who now lives in Miami, is “calm and confident that she will receive a favorable resolution of her fiscal issues,” her PR firm, Llorente y Cuenca, said in a statement.

Spanish authorities first announced the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer was being investigated for possible tax evasion in early 2018.

Prosecutors said Shakira listed the Bahamas as her legal residence from 2012 to 2014, even though she was living in Barcelona with her then-boyfriend, Spanish soccer star Gerard Piqué, at the time.

The entertainer, whose full name is Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, has denied any wrongdoing.

That case is set to go to trial later this year. Prosecutors are seeking a prison term of up to eight years.

Often dubbed the Queen of Latin Pop, Shakira recorded her first album at 13 and exploded onto the global music scene in the early 2000s. She has since sold over 85 million records and won multiple awards, including three Grammys, 12 Latin Grammys and seven Billboard Music Awards.

She also served as a judge on NBC’s singing competition show “The Voice” and performed with Jennifer Lopez at the 2020 Super Bowl halftime show.

Her latest album, 2017’s “El Dorado” is one of the most-streamed female albums of all time, with over 10 billion streams. She’s also the most-viewed Latin female artist on YouTube, with more than 20 billion views.

Earlier this year, the “Whenever, Whenever” singer announced she was relocating to Miami following her much-publicized split from Piqué. The former power couple, who share two sons, were together for 11 years.

With News Wire Services

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