“I Paid Everything” – Gerard Pique’s Ex Shakira Pledges Innocence, Amid $15,900,000 Tax Fraud Case, Claiming She Was Never Warned of the Risks
For Shakira, the past year has been particularly tumultuous. The Colombian singer and songwriter initially went through a controversial breakup with long-time partner Gerard Pique. Following that she has been embroiled in a tax fraud controversy that has left her facing a whopping lawsuit of $15.9 million.
Spanish authorities have accused her of not paying her taxes from 2012 to 2014, claiming that she was in Spain for more than 183 days a year and thereby obligated to pay taxes. Shakira has denied these allegations and has maintained throughout that she was not living in Spain during the time of the alleged tax evasion.
The long-running case is still being heard in court, and the trial is scheduled for 20th November. However, Shakira has been denying these claims from the onset and has maintained her innocence. After calling the charges on her to be ‘unfair,’ she has now raised another defense in her favor. She claims that she was never warned of the risks of not paying her taxes in Spain.
Shakira is not backing down to prove her innocence
Shakira recently spoke with El Pais in an interview, where she talked about her tax fraud case. She stated that she always makes sure to hire the best saying, “I did not leave my affairs in the hands of inexperienced or family members… I hired the best”. The singer then also denied spending 183 days per year in Spain and revealed how she was never warned of any risks.
She also emphasized, “I paid everything, to the last peso, money has never been the most important thing to me”. She also said that her counselors had ᴀssured her that she was making the proper decision.
The Latin singer further added, “If someone had told me, in minute one I would have become a resident. I am not interested in committing a crime to accumulate more money (…). There are things that go before money, like dignity”. Shakira’s statement suggests that she was confident in her decision to not pay taxes as she believed she was a non-resident at the time.
