By Music superstar, Shakira could end up bagging an eight-year jail term if she is found guilty of an alleged £12m tax fraud.
The 45-year-old singer is charged with defrauding the Spanish treasury out of millions over a three-year period between 2012 and 2014.
Spanish prosecutors are also demanding for the highest-possible sentence over six separate counts of tax fraud totalling 14.5 million euros (£12.2m). They also want the mum-of-two to be slapped with a 23 million euro fine (£19.2m).
According to court documents, Shakira is accused of pretending to live abroad to avoid paying tax despite moving to Barcelona in 2011 to be with her ex, Spanish defender Gerard Pique.
Meanwhile, the singer had earlier rejected an out-of-court settlement. She has already paid out an estimated three million euros (£2.5m) to the Spanish authorities.
But tax inspectors, who spent more than a year checking up on Shakira, insisted that she spent more than the required 183 days in a given calendar year in Spain, and such considered a Spanish resident for tax purposes.
They said she had spent 242 days in Spain in 2012, 212 days in 2013 and 243 days in the country in 2014.
However, the Colombian superstar had denied the charges.
“Shakira has always cooperated and abided by the law, demonstrating impeccable conduct as an individual and a taxpayer, and faithfully following the counsel of PriceWaterhouse Coopers, a prestigious and globally recognized tax firm,” her spokesman was quoted as saying.
“Unfortunately, the Spanish Tax Office, which loses one out of every two lawsuits with its taxpayers, continues to violate her rights and pursue yet another baseless case.
“Shakira is confident that her innocence will be proven by the end of the judicial process.”
