There was a shadow on the set The Anthill. Always in black, always enigmatic, Pablo Ibáñez Pérez, known as the Man in Black, built a character as magnetic as he was silent. But behind the smoke and lights, there was another story, less glamorous and much more complicated. One that was not fought with art or spectacle, but with numbers, laws and judicial rulings.
Between 2011 and 2014, Ibáñez invoiced almost 700,000 euros for his participation in the Antena 3 program. To manage those profits, he created a company called Black Burlesque. According to him, it was a legitimate vehicle to manage his professional activity. According to the Treasury, it was a tool to avoid high personal income tax rates. Now, with the rulings of the Superior Court of Justice of Madrid (TSJM) against him, the Man in Black has been exposed: it was not so much the shadow of mystery, but that of error.
The strategy that did not convince the Treasury
Burlesque Noir, in which Ibáñez is the sole administrator and partner, received million-dollar payments for his participation in The Anthill. According to the magistrates, its function did not go beyond serving as a fiscal screen. Through this company, Ibáñez paid corporate tax, significantly lower than personal income tax for the amounts he managed. Afterwards, his company paid him a salary much lower than the total invoiced, and only that figure was taxed as personal income.
Between 2011 and 2014, the company invoiced amounts that rose from 111,100 euros in 2011 to 230,950 in 2014but Ibáñez declared only 137,504 euros in total during those years as personal income. The Treasury, when reviewing its accounts, not only rejected this structure as valid, but also detected that Ibáñez had tried to deduct personal expenses from the company’s activity: from luxury Hugo Boss clothing to purchases in DIY stores, decoration, meals and hotels.
The TSJM, in its latest ruling, confirmed that these expenses “did not correlate” with professional activity and that their inclusion was unjustified. For the Treasury, the case was clear: the company was nothing more than an instrument to reduce the tax burden irregularly.
A common but risky move
Ibáñez is not alone in this battle. Other artists, such as Fernando Tejero o Paz Padillahave faced similar inspections. The Tax Agency has been investigating these corporate structures used by public figures to pay less taxes for years. In some cases, companies end up paying more than they should for Corporate Tax, which could seem like a favorable mistake for the taxpayer. However, the resolution almost always means that the individual must make up the difference through their personal income tax, resulting in much larger tax debts.
Ibáñez’s central argument, based on free competition, also failed to convince the court. According to the ruling released by El Confidencial, the use of Burlesque Noir breached tax regulations by not valuing the operations at their market price. The conclusion was clear: there was no reasonable interpretation of the law that could justify his actions.
Invoices under the magnifying glass
The list of invoices that the Treasury rejected as deductible is almost as striking as the character that Ibáñez played on television. It included purchases at the aforementioned Hugo Boss, but also at Giorgio Armani, Leroy Merlin and Maisons du Monde, in addition to other private expenses. According to the inspection, none of this had a direct relationship with the income generated by their participation in the program.
Vehicle leasing, travel and financial expenses also failed to pass tax scrutiny. The court is clear: without evidence demonstrating the connection between these disbursements and professional income, they could not be considered deductible.
The weight of the sentences
With this latest resolution, Ibáñez’s situation becomes even more complicated. Already in November 2022, the TSJM had endorsed the inspection against his company, forcing it to return part of what was deducted. Now, the ruling on his personal income tax reinforces the idea that the artist tried to reduce his tax burden irregularly, accumulating a debt that could exceed 250,000 euros.
The fall of the Man in Black
The Man in Black was a character who captured attention without saying a word.. But off the set, Pablo Ibáñez now faces a much less brilliant story. What appeared to be an ingenious tax strategy has ended in legal and financial ruin, a reminder that shadows, no matter how enigmatic, cannot always hide reality.
In his attempt to save on taxes, Ibáñez has paid a high price. Beyond the money, there is the media exposure and the personal exhaustion of facing a relentless machine like the Treasury. Sometimes even the deepest black can’t hide the weight of a mistake. And although on television his presence was synonymous with spectacle, outside of it, reality has proven to be much less forgiving.
The fiscal ruin of the Man in Black is, in essence, a reminder that Even shadows need a solid foundation to stand. Without it, the light of truth always ends up fading them.
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