Shakira in Trouble: Colombian Star Facing 8 Years in Prison, $24 Million Penalty Over Tax Fraud Charges

Shakira's legal woes are getting heavier on Friday after prosecutors in Spain want the Colombian popstar wants to spend nearly 10 years in prison if she s convicted of tax Fraud.

According to Los Angeles Times, prosecutors in Spain would ask a court to sentence the "Waka-Waka" singer to eight years and two months of jail time if she is found guilty.

BBC added that the document from prosecutors revealed that Shakira would be asked to pay €23.8 or $24.34 million if she is convicted of the allegation slammed against her.

Shakira Tax Fraud Allegations

Shakira's tax woes started in 2018, when authorities from Spain charged the "Whenever, Wherever" singer for failing to pay 14.5 million euros ($14.7 million) in taxes on her income between 2012 and 2014 while listing her official residence in the Bahamas. Spanish authorities claimed that Shakira had been a resident of Spain since 2012.

A document from the prosecutors acquired by Reuters claimed that Shakira bought a house in Barcelona in 2012, which became her family home with Gerard Pique and their two children.

People who spend more than six months in a country are considered residents for tax purposes. However, the singer's legal team noted that she did not mainly live in Spain during the times mentioned by the authorities. The legal team of the Colombian pop star also argued that Shakira's presence in Spain was "sporadic," until 2015.

A source close to the singer previously mentioned that the singer did not reside more than longer than 183 days between 2012 and 2014. And when Shakira spent more than the said number in a fiscal year, the "She Wolf" singer took the initiative to declare herself as a tax resident.

On Wednesday, Shakira opted to go to trial instead of signing a plea deal offered by the authorities from Spain. The terms of the deal that were offered by the authorities from Spain are unclear as of Friday.

The singer's public relations team said that the "Loca" singer trusts her innocence and chose to "leave the issue in the hands of the law."

In addition, Shakira reportedly paid 16.8 million euros ($17.2 million) in an attempt to fix her tax situation.

Shakira Confident in Winning Tax Case Against Spain

On Friday, media outlets tried to reach Shakira's camp for comments about the latest development regarding her tax situation. However, reports claimed that the singer's camp referred to a previous statement they sent out on Wednesday.

It can be recalled that Shakira's PR team emphasized that the singer is "confident of her innocence," which is why she did not accept the deal offered by the Spanish authorities.

The PR team of the singer also stressed that Shakira "demonstrated impeccable conduct as an individual and a taxpayer."

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Shakira Faces 8-Year Prison Sentence & $24 Million Fine In Spain Over Tax Fraud Charges - From Access