Court rejects Shakira’s appeal over tax fraud
A court in Spain has rejected the tax fraud case for singer Shakira.
Shakira is accused of owing $15 million in taxes on income she received in 2012-2014. Shakira’s residence was used as prosecutors claim that she lived in Spain and that her official residence at the time was in the Bahamas.
According to Spanish law, if an individual spends more than 183 days in the country, he is considered a legal resident and is required to pay taxes not only on income received within the country, but also abroad. In the event of a stay in Spain for less than 183 days, the individual will only pay the income he or she receives within the country.
Shakira claims that she spent most of this period as a resident of the Bahamas and made no effort to intentionally conceal her income.
The Spanish court also ruled that during these years the star was a “permanent resident of Spain”.
