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Singer Shakira (archive)
Photo: Rich Graessle/ dpa
Pop superstar Shakira challenges the Spanish tax authorities.
The 45-year-old singer and composer has rejected an out-of-court settlement with the tax authorities of her adopted country in a criminal case, as she announced in a statement to Spanish media on Wednesday.
The musician, who became famous with hits like "Waka Waka" and "Hips Don't Lie", will have to answer in court in the next few months.
She is accused of evading a total of around 14.5 million euros between 2012 and 2014.
The Colombian artist faces a long prison sentence if convicted.
However, Shakira describes herself as innocent and the allegations as a "total violation" of her rights.
She was the victim of "bitter persecution," as other citizens had experienced.
"The prosecution is determined to recover the money I made from my international tours and from The Voice before I lived in Spain," she writes.
The responsible authorities had "recourse to unfair means to exert pressure, as they do daily and unfairly with thousands of taxpayers for profit reasons".
Residence in the Bahamas – or in Spain?
A judge had ordered the opening of criminal proceedings last year at the request of the competent public prosecutor's office.
In late May, Shakira's lawyers failed in court with a motion to overturn the judge's verdict.
She is confident that the judiciary will ultimately agree with her, Shakira said now.
The core question is where the Colombian was liable to pay taxes in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
The judiciary assumes: in Spain, because she stayed there for more than half a year in each of the three years.
The singer denies that.
Shakira affirms that she was residing in the Bahamas at the time.
She only repeatedly visited her partner, football star Gerard Piqué from FC Barcelona, with whom she has two children and from whom she recently separated.
Only from 2015 did she live permanently in Barcelona.
In addition, she has since paid all taxes.
lmd/dpa