Shakira has been accused by Spanish prosecutors of owing more than €14.5 million in unpaid tax.
The 41-year-old pop star – who is married to Spanish soccer star Gerard Pique – has been accused of evading tax between 2012 and 2014, with prosecutors arguing that Shakira was living in Spain during that period, even though she claimed she was based in the Bahamas.
Under Spanish law, people who spend more than six months a year in the country are required to pay their taxes in Spain.
And according to prosecutors, the ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ hitmaker was spending the majority of her time in the country with Pique and she was only going overseas for professional reasons.
The authorities are seeking the unpaid tax bill from all of her global income, rather than what she just earned in Spain.
Now, Shakira – who declared Spain as her official residence in 2015 – must wait to find out whether there is enough evidence for her to face trial.
Earlier this year, meanwhile, Shakira admitted she feared her career might have been over after she suffered severe vocal problems.
The singer – who was born in the city of Barranquilla in Colombia – said: "It was like a vascular lesion. So you can imagine, there were times when I doubted I would ever be in front of a crowd again singing my songs."
However, Shakira didn’t need to undergo surgery in order to make a full recovery.
She shared: "Miraculously, and contrary to everything the doctors predicted, I recovered naturally. They all foresaw surgery, but the lesion disappeared completely from my vocal cords.
"I remember praying. I had forgotten to pray for a while, but when you go through hardship you suddenly recover your faith! I was promising God if I could ever use my voice again, I would celebrate every night – and that’s what I’m doing."
Shakira accused of tax evasion in Spain
