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Shakira acquitted by Spanish court of tax fraud, over US$64 million to be returned

A Spanish court acquitted Shakira in a tax fraud case, ordering the government to return more than 55 million euros (US$64 million) in wrongly imposed…

By Samantha Johnson / May 18, 2026

A Spanish court acquitted Shakira in a tax fraud case, ordering the government to return more than 55 million euros (US$64 million) in wrongly imposed fines, according to a court document.

The decision follows years of tax troubles in Spain for the Colombian superstar.

The ruling relates to a dispute over the 2011 tax year in which Spanish authorities failed to prove that the singer was a resident of Spain, the Madrid-based court said in its decision.

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For a person to be considered a tax resident in Spain, she must spend more than 183 days in the country.

Spanish authorities were only able to prove that Shakira lived in Spain that year for a total of 163 days, the court said, ordering the Treasury to reimburse the singer the tax paid plus interest.

Colombian singer Shakira arrives at court in Barcelona, Spain in 2023 for her trial on tax fraud. Photo: AFP
Colombian singer Shakira arrives at court in Barcelona, Spain in 2023 for her trial on tax fraud. Photo: AFP

Spain’s tax agency argued that at the time Shakira was tied to Spain through a relationship with now-retired soccer player Gerard Piqué, and that she based her main economic activities in the country.

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