Shakira has been charged with tax evasion in Spain nearly a year after an investigation into her tax status began.
The Columbian popstar was charged during a court hearing in Barcelona on Friday, with Spanish prosecutors alleging the songstress failed to pay more than €14.5 million (£13 million) in tax between 2012 and 2014.
According to the Associated Press, Shakira listed the Bahamas as her official residence for tax purposes during those years but was in fact living in Catalonia, Spain – where tax rates are notoriously much higher – with her long-term partner, Barcelona football player Gerard Pique.
During the court hearing, prosecutors said her travel abroad was only ever for short periods of time due to professional commitments, and the Hips Dont Lie singer spent most of the year in Spain with Gerard and their sons Milan, five, and Sasha, three, after relocating in 2015.
Prosecutors now want Shakira to pay a bond of €19.4 million (£17.4 million) – reportedly the amount she owes in tax plus 33 per cent – or have her assets to the same amount frozen by the court.
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Representatives for the Waka Waka singer have reportedly denied the charges, claiming the star did not live in Spain until 2015, and has met all of her tax obligations to Spanish authorities.
A magistrate will now look into whether there is enough evidence to put the 41-year-old on trial.
The news comes 11 months after Spanish authorities announced an investigation into the singers tax status.
The mum-of-two – who has an estimated net worth of $220 million (£175 million) – was among those named in the Paradise Paper leaks that uncovered the offshore tax arrangements of several high-profile figures, including Madonna and U2′s Bono.
Metro.co.uk has contacted Shakiras representatives for comment.
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