In a high-profile legal conclusion that has drawn global attention, Colombian music icon Shakira has been fully acquitted of tax fraud charges following a years-long legal battle between the artist and Spanish tax authorities. The Catalonia High Court in northeastern Spain delivered the final ruling this week, dismissing all allegations that the singer had illegally evaded taxes on income earned between 2012 and 2014, and additionally ordered national authorities to return approximately $70 million in assets that were seized as part of the investigation. The case first emerged in 2018, when Spanish prosecutors claimed Shakira failed to properly declare around $16.4 million in income, arguing that she had established her official tax residence in the country as early as 2012 – a claim the pop star repeatedly denied, asserting that she did not move her primary residence to Barcelona until 2015, when she began a long-term relationship with Spanish football star Gerard Piqué. Throughout the entire legal process, Shakira maintained her innocence, emphasizing that she had fulfilled all of her tax obligations according to international tax rules and had no intention of hiding or underreporting any of her income. The $70 million in seized assets, which included several of her luxury properties in Barcelona and a significant portion of her financial holdings, will now be transferred back to the artist’s ownership after the court’s formal order takes effect. Legal analysts note that the acquittal brings a definitive end to a case that had become a symbol of high-profile tax disputes between international celebrities and European tax authorities over the past decade. The ruling also sets a potential precedent for how cross-border tax residence cases are adjudicated in Spanish courts, particularly for artists who maintain multiple residences across different countries for work and personal reasons. In a brief statement shared after the ruling, Shakira expressed relief at the court’s decision, thanking her legal team and supporters for their patience through the years-long process. The 47-year-old singer, who remains one of the best-selling Latin music artists of all time with more than 80 million records sold worldwide, has continued to release chart-topping music and tour globally throughout the duration of the legal proceedings.
Shakira acquitted of tax fraud, court orders Spain to hand back $70 million
