The Spanish government has filed a new charge against Colombian singer Shakira Mebarak, more known by the public as Shakira, for allegedly failing to pay EUR 6.7 million ($7.1 million) in tax on her 2018 income.
According to a statement by prosecutors in Barcelona Tuesday (September 26), the star known for musical hits like "Whenever, Wherever," "Hips Don't Lie," and "Waka Waka" allegedly used an offshore company based in a tax haven to avoid paying taxes.
The Miami-based singer was notified of the charges, the statement added.
Spain to Shakira: Taxes Don't Lie
Mebarak was already due to be tried in Barcelona on November 20 in a separate case involving her not paying an additional EUR 14.5 million ($13.9 million) in taxes on income earned between 2012 and 2014, which the celebrity denied.
Spanish tax officials opened the third and latest case against the performer last July and decided to pursue a separate charge, with officials yet to determine a date for a trial.
The public relations firm that previously handled Shakira's affairs, Llorente y Cuenca, made no immediate comment, the Associated Press reported.
Shakira was linked to Spain through her former partner, retired football player Gerard Pique, with whom she shared two children. The couple lived in Barcelona until last year, when they decided to part ways after 11 years.
Spanish authorities have been chasing after personalities whom they call tax evaders. Some of the more famous cases were those of football superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Both players escaped jail time due to a provision allowing a judge to waive sentences under two years in length for first-time offenders.
Related Article: Shakira Hit With Another Tax Fraud Allegation in Spain
