Madrid, Spain — May 18, 2026
A Spanish court has cleared Shakira of tax fraud allegations, ordering authorities to return more than €55 million after ruling they could not prove she spent enough time in Spain to qualify as a tax resident in 2011.
Court Ruling and Legal Basis
The court found that Spanish tax authorities lacked sufficient evidence to demonstrate Shakira resided in the country for more than 183 days in 2011, a requirement for tax liability. The decision overturns a previous ruling and mandates the repayment of taxes, interest, and legal fees.
The case hinged on proving Shakira’s physical presence in Spain during that year. Prosecutors argued she lived primarily in Barcelona with then-partner Gerard Piqué, a former Spanish football star, but the court deemed their evidence inconclusive.