A possible agreement among the defense, the prosecution, and the Generalitat of Catalonia is on the table as the case against the Colombian singer proceeds. The Barcelona Courthouse is scheduled to hear the matter on Monday. Shakira, born Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, faces a 14.5 million euro fraud claim against the Treasury. Last week, contacts among all sides intensified, though talks continued to be discreet, as is common in judicial processes. The artist from Barranquilla is expected to speak candidly in court about the facts and the potential penalties she may face.
If no agreement is reached, which has happened in past hearings, the trial is expected to unfold over 12 sessions. It will begin on Monday and could run through December 14. A total of 117 witnesses have been summoned, including the singer, her hairdressers, makeup assistants, former partner Antonio de la Roche, Estopa, businesspeople, and neighbors, alongside eight experts. If an agreement is reached and Shakira, defended by criminal lawyer Pau Molins Amat, admits responsibility before the judges, the sentence could be substantially reduced on the first day of the proceedings.
In the provisional indictment, prosecutor Carmen Martín Aragon seeks a prison term of eight years and one month plus a fine of 23.8 million euros. A potential deal could reduce the prison term, potentially to a minimum sentence complemented by a fine. Additionally, payment toward the allegedly unpaid amount to the Treasury, which stands at 14.5 million, could influence mitigation and repairing the damage. The defense notes that the singer has already addressed part of the amount and emphasizes an inability to produce credible evidence supporting the charges.
second reason
The issue is that another tax case remains pending, relating to 2018 with a tax due of 6,686,502 euros, arising from a separate complaint by the prosecutor’s office. The Barcelona case discussed this Monday is connected to a separate proceeding awaiting resolution. Shakira is expected to provide a statement in the Esplugues de Llobregat court, where she previously resided with footballer Gerard Piqué, while another case stands before the National Court in Madrid for a sum of one million dollars. The singer aims to resolve all proceedings and turn a new page in her career. It is stated that she has paid approximately 90 million euros to the Spanish Treasury.
Whether or not an agreement is reached, the first chapter will unfold next Monday as Shakira appears in the courtroom. The exact outcome of the initial session remains uncertain, and it would not be surprising if certain decisions are announced only moments before the hearing opens.
The prosecution contends that Shakira committed six counts of tax fraud related to income and wealth taxes for the years 2012, 2013, and 2014, seeking a prison sentence totaling eight years and one month. The prosecution alleges the artist used a network of companies to hide income and assets from the Treasury and Tax Office of Catalonia while presenting herself as a resident abroad for professional reasons during a period that included her participation on a television program in the United States.
According to the prosecutor, Shakira resided regularly in Spain between 2012 and 2014, first in a Barcelona home and then in an Esplugues de Llobregat property acquired through a company linked to her partner. The defense argues that the singer’s stay outside Spain was for work reasons and that her time abroad was brief. She is reported to have lived principally in Spain during those years while continuing professional activities elsewhere.
stay in spain
The documents indicate that the singer was in the country for more than the threshold years required to be considered a habitual resident for tax purposes. The record cites 242 days in 2012, 212 days in 2013, and 243 days in 2014, with absences deemed occasional under tax law. The defense questions the calculations, while the prosecution argues that a corporate network was used to conceal income and assets from the Treasury and Catalan Tax Authority during 2012 to 2014.
Her defense brief, authored by Pau Molins, maintains that Shakira has consistently acted as a taxpayer with impeccable financial conduct. It notes that she relied on leading advisors since the outset and argues that no credible evidence has been presented to substantiate the accusations against her.