A Spanish judge who has been examining whether Colombian artist Shakira has paid her taxes, or evaded doing so, said there is proof that Shakira did not pay her taxes and suggested to the court that the matter be tried.
The three-year investigation uncovered sufficient evidence of a crime, or in the words of Judge Marco Juberías, "sufficient evidence of criminality," which enabled Juberías to send the matter to a trial judge.
Shakira can appeal this decision.
In December 2019, the singer was accused by Spanish prosecutors of failing to pay taxes of €14.5 million ($16.4 million) between 2012 and 2014, the years she spent primarily in Spain. Still, Shakira also had an official residence in Panama.
When she testified in June of 2019, Shakira denied any wrongdoing. When the Tax Office informed her of the debt, she quickly paid it, says her public relations firm.
If found guilty of tax evasion, Shakira may face a fine and even jail time. However, first-time offenders who get sentences of less than two years may get their prison time waived in Spain.
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