International Desk : International pop sensation Shakira has secured a major legal victory after a Spanish court ordered the country’s tax authorities to refund nearly €55 million that had been collected during a long-running tax dispute.
Spain’s National High Court cleared the Colombian singer of tax fraud allegations and ruled that the Spanish Treasury failed to prove that Shakira had lived in Spain for the minimum 183 days required in 2011 to classify her as a tax resident.
Following the verdict, the court directed authorities to return the collected amount along with applicable interest. The repayment reportedly includes around €24 million in income tax payments and nearly €25 million in penalties and fines that had earlier been imposed by the authorities.
Reacting to the judgment, Shakira stated that the ruling had “finally set the record straight” after years of what she described as public targeting and damage to her reputation.
The globally celebrated singer said she had spent nearly eight years facing intense scrutiny, media pressure, and emotional stress linked to the case. She also maintained that she had never committed any fraud and accused authorities of attempting to portray her as guilty without sufficient proof.
The case had attracted worldwide attention due to Shakira’s international fame and the large financial claims involved. The latest ruling is now being viewed as a significant setback for Spain’s tax authorities in one of the country’s most high-profile celebrity tax disputes.
Shakira, known worldwide for chartbusters such as Hips Don’t Lie and Whenever, Wherever, continues to remain one of the most influential Latin music artists globally.
