Shakira goes on trial in Barcelona in a tax fraud case, with Spanish prosecutors demanding a prison sentence of more than eight years.
They accuse the 46-year-old of cheating the Spanish government of 14.5 million euros ($15.7 million) on money obtained between 2012 and 2014. The singer denies the claims, claiming she moved to Spain full-time in 2015.
The dispute revolves around how much time the artist, whose hit tracks include "Hips Don't Lie", "Whenever, Wherever", and the 2010 World Cup song "Waka Waka", spent in Spain between 2012 and 2014.
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According to Spanish authorities, Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, "the Queen of Latin Pop," spent more than half of that time in Spain and hence should have paid taxes there.
According to them, she moved to Spain when her relationship with former FC Barcelona star defender Gerard Pique became known in 2011, although she kept her formal tax residency in the Bahamas until 2015.
The prosecution argues in its indictment that Shakira "used a set of companies" headquartered in tax havens "with the intention of not paying" tax in Spain.
Prosecutors demand an eight-year and two-month prison sentence and a fine of roughly 24 million euros (24 million dollars) for the musician.
According to Shakira's lawyers, she lived a "nomadic life" and earned most of her money from foreign tours until 2014, when she relocated permanently to Barcelona soon before the birth of her second kid in January 2015.
"Even before they filed a lawsuit, I paid everything they claimed I owed." So, as of today, I owe them nothing," the singer stated in a 2022 interview with Elle magazine.
Shakira confirmed her divorce from Pique in June 2022, ending one of the world's most renowned celebrity relationships. She and her two sons, Milan and Sasha, relocated to Miami in April.
Her high-profile trial is due to begin at 10 a.m. (0900 GMT) in a Barcelona court. It is set to last until December 14, with the court hearing from roughly 120 witnesses.
