The investigation into Shakira’s alleged tax evasion has been closed

The Spanish authorities’ investigation into alleged tax fraud by Shakira is officially no longer ongoing.

On Wednesday, the public prosecutor’s office asked a Spanish court to drop the criminal case against the Colombian singer on the grounds of “lack of evidence” – and on Thursday the court agreed The guard. EW has reached out to Shakira’s legal team for comment.

The case was first opened in July. Prosecutors accuse the singer of using an offshore company to avoid paying up to 6.6 million euros ($7.2 million) to the tax office in 2018. According to the report, Shakira paid off the debt a month later.

Thursday’s court ruling comes nearly six months after Shakira settled a separate tax fraud case with the Spanish government in November.

This case began in 2018 when Spanish prosecutors accused the Latin superstar of failing to pay 14.5 million euros (about $15 million) in taxes on income from 2012 to 2014. Shakira’s representatives claimed that she did not live in Spain during this period and referred to her official residence in the Bahamas, but prosecutors argued that she lived in the northern region of Catalonia during these years.

After a year-long investigation, prosecutors argued that the Grammy winner listed the Bahamas – a country with a lower tax rate than Spain – as her residence while spending much of that time in Spain with her former partner, Spanish soccer player Gerard Piqué , and her two sons, according to the Associated Press. In 2017, Shakira was identified in the “Paradise Papers,” which leaked offshore tax arrangements of high-profile figures including Madonna and Bono.

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In July 2022, the “Whenever, Wherever” singer initially rejected a settlement offered by the prosecutor in the case, paving the way to trial. Shakira’s media representatives released a statement to Reuters at the time reiterating that she had always met all of her tax requirements.

“The singer is completely convinced of her innocence and therefore does not accept any settlement,” Shakira’s representatives said, adding that the case was “a complete violation of her rights.”

Ultimately, this process was completed on the day it began after the singer did agree to settle. According to the BBC, Shakira paid a fine of €7.5 million but continued to deny any wrongdoing.

“Although I was determined to defend my innocence in a trial that my lawyers were confident would have ruled in my favor, I made the decision to finally resolve this matter in the best interests of my children, which their children did not want to see.” “Mom sacrificed her personal well-being in this fight,” she said in a statement to EW at the time. “I need to overcome the stress and emotional strain of the last few years and focus on the things I love – my children and all the opportunities that come my way in my career, including my upcoming world tour and my new album, both of which I love I am very happy for those who fought to the end against these injustices, but for me, victory today means reclaiming my time for my children and my career.”