Shakira Faces Second Tax Fraud Investigation
Shakira's tax woes in Spain have not abated. The "Hips Don't Lie" singer is now the subject of a second investigation into her tax payments as she awaits trial following the first investigation.
Shakira has denied participating in tax evasion or any related wrongdoing. The first case is set to rule on whether or not she failed to pay $13.9 million in taxes between 2012 and 2014.
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That initial investigation rests on where exactly Shakira was living during those years. Prosecutors believe that she spent more than half the year in Spain, but Shakira's legal team is arguing that she actually spent more time living at her primary home in the Bahamas. (Shakira and her former partner Gerard Piqué also had a residence in Spain.)
According to the pop star's representatives, she has yet to be formally notified of a second investigation through any "official and legally established channels.” As reported by The Associated Press, her PR team issued a short statement: "[Shakira] defends having always acted in accordance with the law and under the advice of the best tax experts. She is now focused on her artistic career in Miami and is calm and confident that she will receive a favorable resolution of her fiscal issues."
Reuters also reports that the second investigation focuses on the taxes Shakira allegedly owed for 2018, although further details are currently unavailable.
Shakira faces a possible eight-year sentence if convicted in her upcoming trial.