After a court found there was enough evidence to imply the pop artist may have dodged her fiscal commitments to the state, the verdict clears the way for a trial.
A Spanish court has denied Colombian singer Shakira's appeal and reaffirmed a previous judgement that found "sufficient evidence" to send her to trial for alleged tax fraud. Prosecutors alleged that the 'Hips Don't Lie' singer neglected to pay up to 14.5 million euros ($15.54 million) in tax between 2012 and 2014.
They claim Shakira was residing in Catalonia, Spain's northern province, during those years, despite the Colombian music star's agents claiming she just came to Spain in 2015 and has since completed all of her tax responsibilities, according to a report by Inquirer.Net.
Shakira, 45, testified in June 2019 and denied any misconduct.
The latest decision is a ratification of a prior court ruling issued in July 2021.
The court is yet to formally send her to stand trial and establish a date for her trial.
In a statement released on Thursday, her legal team said that they will continue to defend her case with strong legal reasons.
"Shakira’s conduct on tax matters has always been impeccable in all the countries she had to pay taxes and she has trusted and followed faithfully the recommendations of the best specialists and advisers," according to the statement.
The 45-year-old singer is married to football player Gerard Pique, a defender for FC Barcelona. They have two children and they've been dating since 2011.