After the storm comes calm, but the other way around also happens. After the success that Shakira has sown this year thanks to her latest musical works, flattered by the public and critics – the one from Barranquilla was one of the great protagonists last week at the 24th Latin Grammy gala, in which she won two awards -, this Monday His trial begins in the Barcelona Court for alleged tax fraud.
In recent days it was said that the singer was going to take legal measures against the Prosecutor’s Office for not agreeing with the way in which they obtained the information related to her and the number of days she resided in Spain between the years 2012, 2013 and 2014, with interviews with a hundred people related to it, with Gerard Piqué and with his two children, Milan and Sasha, information that is not true. The singer will not sue the Barcelona Prosecutor’s Office for allegedly invading her privacy. “It’s false,” she said this Friday to Informalia one of its spokespersons. Be that as it may, a critical period begins for the singer.
What is she accused of?
Shakira will testify before the judge for allegedly defrauding14,562,968 million euros to the Tax Agency. The taxes that he allegedly defrauded are 12,371,197 euros for the Personal Income Tax (IRPF) and 2,191,771 for the Wealth Tax (IP). Specifically, six alleged crimes against the Treasury were registered between 2012 and 2014.
The prosecutor believes that, to avoid paying taxes in Spain, the artist used a network of 15 companies domiciled in the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Malta, Panama and Luxembourg, whom he named as owners of his income and assets instead of putting them in his name. The singer did this, supposedly, “to hide” their income from the State Tax Agency and the Tax Agency of Catalonia.
What sentence is he facing?
The artist faces a request for sentencing eight years and two months in prison. Likewise, the Prosecutor’s Office also demands a fine of 23.8 million euros.
How long will the trial last?
The trial is expected to occupy 12 sessions spaced from November 20 to December 14. In that period of time, 117 witnesses and eight experts are called to testify. Employees who attended to the singer in different centers in Barcelona, such as hairdressers, beauty salons, bars, hotels and restaurants, as well as some of the singer’s workers, will testify. Among them are her personal driver, two gynecologists, dance and fitness teachers, and her stylist.
In addition, former neighbors of the artist in their homes in Catalonia, doormen and maintenance workers are called to testify. The artist’s defense has also requested the participation of the CEO of Sony Music in Latin America, Afo Verde, and the president of the company, Amanda Ghost. Part of the Live Nation Spain staff will be added to these. At Shakira’s proposal, her brother and her manager, her choreographer, her therapist, her hairdresser, her stylist, her managers, her producer and her ex-partner, Antonio de, will also testify. Rúa Pertiné.
If the singer returned the money, why is she going to trial?
Before the mental process, Shakira returned a total of 17.2 million euros that the Treasury claimed from her for taxes that she did not pay at the time. This is taken into account by the Prosecutor’s Office’s accusation when applying a mitigating measure to repair the damage. The legal team defended this return of the money and stressed that “for many years there has been no outstanding debt with the Treasury.”
The singer’s legal team negotiated with the Prosecutor’s Office the possibility of avoiding the trial, but the conversations did not prosper. Likewise, the singer’s defense insists that they have time to agree until the trial.
The artist faces this trial four months after hearing about her second case for alleged fraud against the Treasury, which is being investigated in the courts of Esplugues de Llobregat (Barcelona). The Prosecutor’s Office claims a debt of 6,686,502 euros for the 2018 declaration of Personal Income Tax and Wealth Tax.
Has Shakira spoken out?
The singer shared a statement through her lawyers last summer. “Shakira defends having always acted in accordance with the law and under the advice of the best tax experts. She is now focused on her artistic life in Miami and is calm and confident in the favorable resolution of her tax affairs,” the article read. text.
At that time they reported that Shakira had not received “any notification about the complaint” that “the media” claimed had been filed for the 2018 financial year. “Once again, as has been happening all these years, it is through the media how the singer has found out about the filing of this complaint, evidencing the media and reputational pressure to which she is subjected,” they settled.