Shakira Reaches Settlement in Tax Fraud Dispute “With the Best Interest of My Kids at Heart”

Shakira has agreed to a settlement deal with Spanish authorities in a tax fraud dispute that could have seen the performer sentenced to as many as eight years in prison and given a fine of 24 million euros. On Monday, the first day of the Barcelona-set trial over the matter, Shakira informed the judge that she had agreed to a deal.

Prosecutors with the Spanish government alleged that Shakira defrauded the country’s government to the tune of 14.5 million euros in taxes on her earnings between 2012 and 2014. Though Shakira moved to Spain in 2011, she maintained tax residency in the Bahamas until 2015, according to reports. The allegations were first raised in 2018, and proceedings have been ongoing since then.

In a statement shared with Vanity Fair, Shakira maintained her innocence but said that she’d agreed to a settlement for the sake of her children.

“While I was determined to defend my innocence in a trial that my lawyers were confident would have ruled in my favor, I have made the decision to finally resolve this matter 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,” the statement read in part. “I need to move past the stress and emotional toll of the last several years and focus on the things I love—my kids and all the opportunities to come in my career.”

Shakira has two sons, Milan, 10, and Sasha, 8, whom she shares with former partner Gerard Piqué, a retired professional soccer player. The Relationship” target=”_blank”>pair split in June 2022 after a decade-plus-long relationship, and the post-breakup narrative has been one of diss tracks and very pointed Instagram posts.

Throughout the tax case ordeal, Shakira maintained her innocence in the matter.

Read her full statement below.

“Throughout my career, I have always strived to do what’s right and set a positive example for others. That often means taking the extra step in business and personal financial decisions to procure the absolute best counsel, including seeking the advice of the world’s preeminent tax authorities such as PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, who advised me from the start, and subsequently Ernst & Young Global Limited. Unfortunately, and despite these efforts, tax authorities in Spain pursued a case against me, as they have against many professional athletes and other high-profile individuals, draining those people’s energy, time, and tranquility for years at a time. While I was determined to defend my innocence in a trial that my lawyers were confident would have ruled in my favor, I have made the decision to finally resolve this matter 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. I need to move past the stress and emotional toll of the last several years and focus on the things I love—my kids and all the opportunities to come in my career, including my upcoming world tour and my new album, both of which I am extremely excited about. 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.”