Spanish Court Orders Tax Refund to Shakira
A Spanish court has mandated the country's tax authority to refund 55 million euros (£48m, $64m) to singer Shakira, ruling that the amount was improperly collected in a tax dispute.
The national high court instructed the Treasury to repay the sum plus interest to the Colombian artist, known for hits such as Hips Don't Lie and Wherever, Whenever.
The court found that tax authorities failed to prove Shakira spent the required 183 days in Spain in 2011, which is the minimum threshold for residents to be liable for personal income tax in the country.
Shakira's Response to the Ruling
Shakira stated that the court had "finally set the record straight" after she endured eight years of what she described as "brutal public targeting, orchestrated campaigns to destroy my reputation, and sleepless nights that ultimately impacted my health and my family's well-being."
"There was never any fraud, and the Administration itself could never prove otherwise, simply because it wasn't true.
Yet, for nearly a decade, I was treated as guilty. Every step of the process was leaked, distorted, and amplified, using my name and public image to send a threatening message to the rest of the taxpayers.
Today, that narrative crumbles, and it does so with the full force of a court ruling."
She dedicated her legal victory to the "thousands of ordinary citizens" who are similarly forced to prove their innocence at "the cost of economic and emotional ruin."
Details of the Tax Refund and Legal Proceedings
The repayment includes approximately 24 million euros (£21m) in income tax and nearly 25 million euros (£25m) in fines for what authorities had described as a "very serious" infringement.
The tax agency announced it would appeal the decision to the Supreme Court and stated that no payment would be made until the final ruling is issued.
Background on Shakira's Residency and Tax Status
Shakira lived with former Barcelona and Spain footballer Gerard Pique for over a decade after reportedly meeting in 2010 during the filming of the music video for Waka Waka, the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
The High Court ruled the fines were unlawful because they were based on the assumption that Spain was her tax residence for the 2011 fiscal year, "a fact which has not been proven." The court determined she spent 163 days in Spain during that year, which is 20 days short of the residency threshold for tax purposes.
The case pertains solely to the 2011 tax year and does not involve subsequent years.
Previous Tax Disputes and Public Commentary
This dispute is one among several involving Shakira and Spain's tax agency, including a separate settlement reached in 2018 to avoid trial in a broader tax fraud case.
In 2024, Shakira, aged 49, wrote in the Spanish daily El Mundo comparing the tax investigations into her affairs to an "inquisition trial."
Upcoming Performances and Public Appearances
The latest ruling comes as Shakira prepares to conclude her Women Don't Cry Anymore world tour with a residency in Madrid starting in September.
She is also scheduled to perform alongside Madonna and BTS during the halftime show at the FIFA Men's World Cup final this summer, as announced last week.
Earlier in the month, two million people attended a free Shakira concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro.
