Prosecutors in Spain announced on Friday that they would request a court to sentence Colombian pop star Shakira to eight years and two months in prison if she is convicted of alleged tax fraud.
Shakira, who is formally known as Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, has been charged with failing to pay the Spanish government 14.5 million euros ($15 million) in taxes between 2012 and 2014, the Centre Daily reported.
Prosecutors also said they would also seek a fine of 24 million euros ($24 million) for her wrongdoing.
The indictment list six charges against the singer, who rejected a settlement deal that was offered by prosecutors. Instead, she opted to go to trial. The trial date has yet to be set.
Her publicists in London released a statement Friday saying that Shakira “has always cooperated and abided by the law, demonstrating impeccable conduct as an individual and a taxpayer” and accused the Spanish Tax Agency of violating Shakira’s rights.
Shakira’s Spanish public relations team said she deposited the amount she owed, which included 3 million euros in interest.
Prosecutors in Barcelona claimed the Grammy award winner spent more than half of each year between 2012 and 2014 in Spain and therefore, she should have paid taxes to the country. Shakira recently ended an 11-year-long relationship with FC Barcelona star Gerard Piqué. They have two children together and used to live in Barcelona.
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