Spanish court orders Shakira to be refunded over 55 million euros. A Spanish court has overturned tax claims against Shakira for 2011 and ordered that she be refunded more than 55 million euros. The key argument was the lack of evidence that the artist resided in the country for more than half a year.
Shakira has achieved a major victory in a Spanish court: she will be refunded more than 55 million euros that were previously collected from her over tax claims for 2011. This decision was made by Spain’s National Court, ruling that tax authorities had no grounds to consider the singer a tax resident of the country during that period.
The legal proceedings concerned income tax and property tax. Spanish authorities claimed Shakira spent more than 183 days in the country in 2011 and was therefore required to pay taxes as a resident. However, during the process it was established that the artist spent only 163 days in Spain, which is not enough to qualify as a tax resident under Spanish law.
As a result, the court annulled all previous penalties and fines, and ordered that Shakira be refunded the amounts paid with legal interest, as well as the reimbursement of legal costs. According to the National Court’s press release, the sum exceeds 55 million euros.
Shakira Ripoll, now 49, is one of the most renowned Latin American artists to have succeeded in both Spanish- and English-language music markets. In addition to her singing career, she is also known as a songwriter, dancer, music producer, choreographer, and model. Her name is immortalized on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.
This court decision could set an important precedent for other foreign artists and public figures working in Spain, as it highlights the need for strict compliance with tax residency criteria. In recent years, Spanish tax authorities have tightened oversight of celebrity incomes; however, this case shows that the agency's position is not always flawless from a legal standpoint.
