Shakira to stand trial in Spain over tax fraud charges
Shakira has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and rejected a deal with authorities to avoid going to trial
"Hips don't lie" hitmaker, Shakira will be having her day in court quite soon after a judge in Spain gave the green light for the singer to stand trial on tax fraud charges.
The Grammy award-winning Colombian singer will be facing six counts of tax fraud.
According to reports, the judge overseeing the case ruled on Tuesday that prosecutors can move forward with a trial for the singer who is accused of not coughing up 14.5 million euros or about $13.9 million in taxes for income she earned between 2012 and 2014 while she resided in Spain.
Prosecutors believe the 45-year-old Shakira was spending more than half her time in Spain during those years thus they believe she should've paid up, even though her official residence was in the Bahamas.
They're seeking an eight-year prison sentence and a hefty fine if she is found guilty of tax evasion.
However, Shakira has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and rejected a deal with authorities to avoid going to trial.
Her public relations firm has said that she has already paid all that she owed and an additional 3 million euros ($2.8 million) in interest.
In a recent interview, she said, "I've paid everything they claimed I owed even before they filed a lawsuit. So as of today, I owe zero to them."
A representative for the musician said that the case was a violation of her rights.
"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," started the rep.
They, later on, added, "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.
Due to these unjust accusations, she has decided to pursue this matter in court.
Shakira is confident that her innocence will be proven by the end of the judicial process and is grateful for the support she’s received."
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