Colombian superstar Shakira has reached an agreement with Spanish prosecutors to pay a fine of over €7.3 million ($7.98 million) in order to avoid a trial for tax fraud, as confirmed by a Barcelona court on Monday.
Prosecutors had alleged that the 46-year-old singer defrauded the Spanish state of approximately €14.5 million ($15.7 million) on income earned between 2012 and 2014. Shakira had consistently denied these charges, stating that she only moved to Spain full-time in 2015.
As part of the deal announced at the beginning of what was supposed to be the trial, Shakira has agreed to a three-year suspended sentence and will pay a fine of €7.33 million ($7.98 million), which amounts to 50 percent of the unpaid tax. Additionally, she will pay a separate fine of €432,000 to have her jail sentence suspended, bringing the total amount to approximately €7.8 million.
In a statement, the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer expressed that she settled “with the best interest of my kids at heart who do not want to see their mom sacrifice her personal well-being in this fight.” Shakira added that she needs to move past the stress and emotional toll of the last several years to focus on her children and upcoming career opportunities, including a world tour and a new album.
She also acknowledged those who have fought against similar injustices, stating, “I admire tremendously those who have fought these injustices to the end, but for me, today, winning is getting my time back for my kids and my career.”