NNA – A Spanish prosecutor is seeking a prison term of eight years for Colombian superstar Shakira over a 14.5 million-euro tax fraud case, a prosecutor’s office document showed on Friday.
The singer, who has sold more than 80 million records worldwide with hits such as « Hips Don’t Lie », earlier this week rejected a settlement offer from the prosecutor’s office to close the case.
She is accused of failing to pay taxes between 2012 and 2014, a period in which Shakira says she did not live in Spain.
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The prosecutor’s document, seen by Reuters, asserts that Shakira was ordinarily resident in Spain between 2012 and 2014 and in May 2012 bought a house in Barcelona which became a family home for herself, her partner and their son born in Spain in 2013.
It asked for an eight-year prison sentence and a fine of more than 23 million euros ($23.5 million) should she be found guilty. No date for a trial has been set yet.
Asked to comment, Shakira’s representatives referred to a previous statement sent out on Wednesday saying she « is fully confident of her innocence » and that she considers the case « a total violation of her rights ».
The terms of the earlier settlement offer have not been disclosed.
The 45-year-old singer – dubbed the Queen of Latin Pop – said she initially paid the 17.2 million euros that the Spanish tax office said she owed and claims she has no outstanding debt with the tax authorities. -Reuters
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