Shakira has secured a major legal victory against Spain’s Tax Agency after the National High Court ruled firmly in the singer’s favor in the final ongoing dispute between the two sides.

The ruling ends an eight-year battle that Shakira and her legal team, led by José Luis Prada, say should never have happened. The court found there was no evidence the singer spent the required 183 days in Spain during 2011, meaning she could not legally be considered a Spanish tax resident for that period.

According to the judgment, the Spanish Tax Agency failed to prove its case, with the court stating that Shakira’s stay in Spain “does not reach 183 days” and that the penalties imposed against her were “contrary to law.”

The case centered on allegations tied to Shakira’s 2011 world tour, during which she performed 120 concerts across 37 countries. Her legal team argued throughout the process that it was physically impossible for the singer to have met Spain’s residency requirements while maintaining such an extensive international schedule.

The court also rejected claims that Shakira used a network of sham companies to avoid taxes. In its ruling, the judges stated there was no proof that the core of her business interests or economic activity was based in Spain, adding that most of her corporate structure and income-generating activity existed outside the country.

As part of the decision, Spain’s Tax Agency has been ordered to return €60 million to the singer, along with interest and reimbursement of her legal costs. The funds had reportedly been withheld for years during the dispute.

In a significant move, the National High Court also ordered the Tax Agency to pay court costs, a measure typically reserved for cases where the administration is considered to have acted recklessly or without sufficient legal grounds.

Shakira said the ruling finally clears her name after years of public scrutiny and pressure.

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”

-Shakira

She added that she hopes the ruling will serve as a precedent for other taxpayers facing similar treatment.

“My greatest wish is that this ruling sets a precedent for the Treasury and serves the thousands of ordinary citizens who are abused and crushed every day by a system that presumes their guilt and forces them to prove their innocence,” Shakira stated.

José Luis Prada, Managing Partner of Prada Tax Advisors and the lawyer who represented the singer throughout the case, described the outcome as an important victory for fairness and judicial independence.

“This resolution comes after an eight-year ordeal that has taken an unacceptable toll,” Prada said. “It comforts us to see that, when faced with unacceptable administrative stances, we can rely on a justice system that truly works and ensures the rule of law.”

The decision marks the conclusion of Shakira’s long-running dispute with the Spanish Tax Agency. The singer relocated to Miami in early 2023 with her children.

Author: Adam Bailey

Adam is a regular contributor for established press release distribution website Release-News.com. He writes on a wide range of topics including music.