Shakira should go to prison for 8 years for tax fraud, Spanish prosecutors say

Shakira
(Image credit: Noam Galai/Getty Images)

Shakira should be sentenced to almost a decade behind bars if she's convicted of tax fraud in an upcoming trial, Spanish prosecutors say.

Prosecutors in Spain are seeking an eight-year prison sentence for the "Hips Don't Lie" singer in her tax fraud case, which is likely headed to trial after she rejected an offer to settle, according to Reuters and The Associated Press.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Shakira's lawyer previously said she has lived in a variety of places "throughout her professional career and, in every case, has fully met the laws of all the jurisdictions where she has resided." The singer's legal team also says she already paid money that Spanish officials said she owed.

But last year, a judge said there was "sufficient evidence of criminality" for a trial, and earlier this week she reportedly rejected a proposed settlement, with her PR firm saying she "trusts her innocence and chooses to leave the issue in the hands of the law."

According to Reuters, Spanish prosecutors also want Shakira to be fined 23 million euros, or $23.5 million, if she's convicted.

Explore More
Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.