Shakira’s reaction after having settled for tax fraud: “I did it for my children”

Shakira has agreed to settle with the Spanish authorities in a tax fraud dispute which could have seen the artist sentenced to as many as eight years in prison and a fine of 24 million euros. On Monday, the first day of the ongoing trial in Barcelona, ​​Shakira informed the judge that she had accepted the agreement.

Spanish government prosecutors allege that Shakira defrauded the country’s government of 14.5 million euros in taxes on his earnings between 2012 and 2014. Although Shakira moved to Spain in 2011, she maintained tax residency in the Bahamas until 2015, according to reports. The charges were first raised in 2018 and proceedings have been ongoing ever since.

In a statement shared with Vanity Fair, Shakira he maintained his innocence but said he accepted a settlement for the sake of his children: «While I was determined to defend my innocence in a trial that my lawyers were confident would end in my favor, I made the decision to finally resolve this matter in the interests of my children, who do not want to see their mother sacrifice her his personal well-being in this battle,” the statement read in part. «I need to overcome the stress and emotional burden of the last few years and focus on the things I love: my children and all the opportunities that will arise in my career».

Shakira has two children, Milan, 10 years, and Sasha, 8 years old, which she shares with her ex-partner Gerard Pique, retired professional footballer. The couple separated in June 2022 after a relationship that lasted more than ten years, and the post-breakup story was made up of very biting diss tracks and posts on Instagram. Throughout the tax case, Shakira has maintained her innocence.

Read his full statement below:

«Throughout my career, I have always tried to do what is right and set a positive example for others. This often means biting off more than I can chew on personal and business financial decisions to get the best advice, including turning to the world’s leading tax authorities such as PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, who advised me from the start, and subsequently Ernst & Young Global Limited. Unfortunately, despite these efforts, the Spanish tax authorities filed a lawsuit against meas they have done with many professional athletes and other high-profile individuals, draining these people’s energy, time and peace of mind for years. Although I was determined to defend my innocence in a trial that, according to my lawyers, would end in my favor, I decided to finally resolve the matter in the interest of my children, who do not want to see their mother sacrifice her well-being personnel in this battle. I need to overcome the stress and emotional burden of the last few years and focus on the things I love: my children and all the opportunities that will come my way in my career, including the upcoming world tour and my new album, by which I am extremely enthusiastic about. I greatly admire those who fought against these injustices until the end, but for me, today, winning means getting my time back for my children and my career.”