Spanish courts just handed Shakira a major legal victory after years of headlines, accusations, and courtroom drama tied to her finances. The global superstar has officially been acquitted in a tax fraud case connected to her 2011 income, with Spain’s High Court overturning a multimillion-euro penalty previously imposed against her.
According to Reuters and the BBC, the court ruled authorities failed to prove Shakira spent enough time living in Spain during 2011 to qualify as a tax resident. Under Spanish law, residents must spend at least 183 days in the country before being required to pay personal income taxes there. The ruling reportedly means the government must return more than €60 million, roughly $70 million, to the singer.
Shakira did not hold back in her response.
“After more than eight years of enduring brutal public targeting, orchestrated campaigns to destroy my reputation, and sleepless nights that ultimately impacted my health and my family’s well-being, the National High Court has finally set the record straight,” she said in a statement.
“There was never any fraud,” the singer continued, claiming authorities treated her as guilty long before proving their case.
The decision marks another chapter in Shakira’s long-running legal disputes in Spain. In 2023, she settled a separate tax case involving income between 2012 and 2014, agreeing to pay millions while maintaining her innocence. Prosecutors later dropped additional tax fraud allegations tied to her 2018 income in 2024.
The ruling arrives as Shakira prepares for the next leg of her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour, which resumes in North America this summer.
