Shakira wins €55 million tax refund case against Spanish government

Colombian singer Shakira has won a major legal case against Spain’s tax authority after Spain’s High Court reportedly ordered the government to refund around €55 million (₹615.88 Crore). 

The court reportedly ruled that Spanish tax authorities failed to prove that Shakira spent at least 183 days in Spain in 2011, which is the minimum requirement to be considered a tax resident in the country. The court found that she spent only 163 days in Spain that year. Because of this, the court declared the penalties unlawful and ordered the Treasury to return the money with interest.

Spain’s tax agency reportedly said it would appeal the decision in the Supreme Court. Officials stated that no refund payment would be made until the final legal ruling is completed. 

The case involved around €24 million in unpaid income tax claims and nearly €25 million in fines that authorities had earlier described as a very serious tax violation.

The ruling came at a time when Spain’s tax enforcement policies against celebrities and high income individuals have remained under public attention. Legal experts reportedly said the court’s decision could influence future tax residency cases involving international public figures.

Court documents stated that evidence presented by tax authorities was not strong enough to officially establish Shakira’s permanent residency status in Spain during 2011, as per reports. The judges concluded that the required legal conditions for imposing the penalties had not been fully met.

Shakira reportedly lived in Spain for several years with former partner Gerard Pique after the two met during the filming of the 2010 FIFA World Cup song ‘Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)’. The latest ruling applies only to the 2011 tax year. 

In 2023, Shakira settled another tax fraud case connected to the years 2012 to 2014. She accepted six charges and reportedly paid a €7.5 million fine to avoid a possible prison sentence and a larger financial penalty. 

Prosecutors had demanded more than eight years in jail and an additional fine of €23.8 million if she had been found guilty, as per reports. In 2024, another Spanish court dropped a separate investigation into her 2018 tax payments because of reportedly insufficient evidence.