Gilbert Flores/Billboard
After an arduous eight-year legal saga, Spain’s National Court has officially cleared Shakira of tax fraud allegations. The court has directed the government to reimburse the Colombian icon 60 million euros ($69 million). According to legal documents surfaced on Monday, May 18, the tribunal determined that the artist did not meet the mandatory residency criteria to qualify as a tax resident in Spain for the 2011 fiscal year.
“Following over eight years of grueling public scrutiny and countless sleepless nights that weighed heavily on my health and my family, the National Court has finally vindicated me,” Shakira remarked in a statement. “The truth is, there was never any wrongdoing, and the Administration failed to substantiate their claims despite every effort.”
The litigation centered on whether Shakira was liable for Spanish taxes on global income earned during her 2011 world tour, which spanned 120 concerts across 37 nations. Authorities had contended that her presence in the country surpassed the threshold for tax residency, a narrative the court has now definitively struck down.
Beyond clearing her name, the verdict mandates the return of the 60 million euros previously withheld, including accrued interest and legal expenditures. The ruling underscored that her stay in Spanish territory during the period in question fell short of the statutory requirements for taxation.
Shakira’s legal counsel, José Luis Prada, characterized the decision as the conclusion of a punishing eight-year ordeal. He lauded the singer’s resilience, noting that such exhaustive legal battles often leave ordinary taxpayers, who lack comparable resources, completely overwhelmed.
Reflecting on the outcome, the singer expressed her hope that this victory will establish a significant precedent for other taxpayers entangled in disputes with the Spanish Tax Agency.
While this case concludes, it marks a milestone in her ongoing history with Spanish tax authorities. In November 2023, the singer opted to settle a separate case regarding the 2012–2014 period—during which she resided in Barcelona—accepting a suspended three-year sentence and a $7.6 million fine to resolve the matter.
This legal triumph arrives as Shakira prepares for the grand finale of her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran world tour, with 12 highly anticipated dates at Madrid’s purpose-built “Shakira Stadium” this October. The news coincides with a career high-point for the superstar, following her massive performance for 2.5 million fans at Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana and ahead of her spotlight appearance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
