- Colombian music star Shakira is in court over alleged tax evasion charges in Spain
- She appeared before Spanish judge in $16.4 million tax evasion case
- Prosecutors charged the singer in December for not paying $16.4 million in taxes in Spain between 2012 and 2014
- They argue she was resident in Spain for most of the year, only travelling abroad for short periods
Shakira is in Spanish court over alleged tax evasion charges that amount to US $16.4 million. However in a statement released by her public relations firm she has denied the charges.
She testified before a judge as part of an investigation and said she was up-to-date with her taxes.
The pop star was charged late last year for not paying taxes between 2011 and 2014 when she listed her official residence as the Bahamas but prosecutors allege that she had already changed her residence to Catalonia.
Her public relations firm said in a statement: “Shakira has always, including in the period between 2011 and 2014, met her tax obligations in every country she has worked in.”
“As soon as she was informed of the amount that, according to Spain’s tax office, she should pay, Shakira paid that amount in its entirety.”
Shakira is the most recent celebrity to be taken to court in Spain and the list includes former Real Madrid soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo, opera singer Montserrat Caballé, celebrity chef Sergi Arola and pop star Ana Torroja.
