PROPERTY SEARCH
PROPERTY SEARCH
ARCHIVED - Shakira slams Spanish Treasury for turning her trial into a media circus
The Columbia pop star is facing several years behind bars in Spain for tax fraud
The trial that’s shaping up to be the court story of the decade has taken yet another turn as pop superstar Shakira has accused the Spanish Treasury of turning her legal proceedings into nothing more than an elaborate publicity stunt.
The ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ beauty has this week accused Spain of “using her” and “violating” her right to privacy as the authorities investigate her for millions of euros worth of tax fraud. The Columbian singer is facing up to 8 years in prison for six crimes against the Spanish Treasury that amount to around 14.5 million euros worth of defrauded cash between 2012 and 2014, when she claimed that she wasn’t residing in Spain.
Shakira’s lawyers have slammed the financial department for launching a “media campaign” with the sole objective of “forcing” the musician to, "despite her innocence, plead guilty and come to terms with the charges."
In an official letter, her lawyers state that the singer is a taxpayer "who has always had impeccable tax conduct and has never had tax problems in any other jurisdiction."They also insist that she never exceeded the 183 days of presence in Spain required to be a tax resident .
"The Public Treasury accuses Shakira of her alleged residence in Spain without evidence," they maintain, despite the fact that credit card receipts and social media posts appear to prove different.
"Without reliable evidence having been presented to support the accusations, she has been fiercely persecuted in the criminal and media sphere using unacceptable methods to attack her reputation and force her to reach an agreement," the law firm claims.
Furthermore, in a statement made to the Investigating Court of Esplugues de Llobregat in Barcelona, Shakira’s lawyers have pointed out that the artist has already paid "more than 90 million euros for worldwide income that has not been generated in Spain."
Image: Wikimedia Commons
Sign up for the Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin and get an email with all the week’s news straight to your inbox
Special offer: Subscribe now for 25% off (36.95 euros for 48 Bulletins)
OR
you can sign up to our FREE weekly roundup!
Read some of our recent bulletins:
25% Discount Special Offer subscription:
36.95€ for 48 Editor’s Weekly News Roundup bulletins!
Please CLICK THE BUTTON to subscribe.
(List price 3 months 12 Bulletins)
Read more stories from around Spain:
Contact Spanish News Today: Editorial 966 260 896 /
Office 968 018 268
