Celebrities

Shakira accuses the Spanish Treasury of publicly burning her

Published 1 months ago on Sep 04, 2024

Shakira Slams Spanish Treasury, Claims She Was 'Publicly Burned at the Stake' After Tax Fraud Confession.

Shakira has made a bold and impassioned statement against the Spanish Treasury, accusing them of treating her like a witch being "publicly burned at the stake" during the Inquisition. This marks her fiercest response yet to the tax fraud case that has shadowed her for years.

The Colombian pop icon, who confessed to six counts of tax fraud last November, made these allegations in a letter published by the Spanish newspaper El Mundo. The singer struck a plea deal in a Barcelona court that included a suspended three-year prison sentence and a hefty £6.4 million (€7.3 million) fine. Despite this, Shakira has continuously asserted that she was unjustly targeted and has now accused the Spanish authorities of leading a "sexist campaign of intimidation."

A Financially 'Lost Decade'

In her letter, Shakira painted a grim picture of her time in Spain, describing it as a "financially lost decade." She expressed disbelief at how she could lose money despite a successful career, claiming that all her earnings during those years went to the Spanish state. "I gave 120 concerts in 90 different cities. How can a person who gives 120 concerts lose money? It sounds strange, I know, but today my assets consist of what I earned before arriving in Spain and what I earned after leaving it," she wrote.

Shakira’s decision to confess to tax fraud, she says, was motivated by a desire to protect her children from the stress of a trial. However, she did not mince words about the Spanish Tax Agency's intentions, accusing them of using her case to rebuild their credibility by "frightening people, threatening them with jail time, compromising the peace of mind of our children, and putting us under pressure to break us."

A Bitter Legal Battle

The legal battle between Shakira and the Spanish authorities has been ongoing for years. Spanish prosecutors had initially sought an eight-year, two-month jail sentence and a nearly £21 million (€23.7 million) fine, arguing that Shakira was a resident of Spain between 2012 and 2014 and should have paid taxes accordingly. Shakira, however, maintained that she was a resident of the Bahamas during those years and should not have been considered a Spanish resident for tax purposes.

The prosecution's case relied heavily on testimony from 117 witnesses who were prepared to argue that Shakira spent significant time in Spain, living first at Piqué's bachelor pad and later in a mansion they bought together near Barcelona. The witnesses included everyone from her ex-boyfriend Antonio de la Rúa to Zumba instructors who reportedly traveled to Spain specifically to teach Shakira.

Claims of Sexism and Manipulation

In her letter, Shakira also accused the Spanish Tax Agency of sexism, claiming they manipulated her efforts to make her relationship with Gerard Piqué work. She argued that if she had been an American man visiting a Spanish woman, the tax authorities would not have pursued her so aggressively. "A person who spends his time on tour around the world cannot have the intention of fiscally residing in a place just because the person with whom he is currently in a relationship lives there," she explained, comparing her situation to that of a tourist who has a fling in Ibiza.

Shakira’s outrage extended to the way she felt she was being used as an example by the authorities, saying, "Things are not solved by burning a public figure every year at the stake as if it were a process of the Inquisition in order to recover lost prestige."

A Personal and Public Struggle

Shakira’s legal woes have coincided with personal upheavals, including her split from Piqué after 11 years together and rumors of his infidelity. The couple shares two sons, Milan, 11, and Sasha, 9. Shakira has since moved to Miami, where she was recently spotted dining with a mystery man. However, in a June interview with Rolling Stone, she downplayed any speculation about her love life, quipping, "What space do I have for a man right now?"

Despite the challenges she’s faced, Shakira emphasized that she wants her children to understand her decisions. "I need them to know that I made the decisions I made to protect them, to be by their side, and move on with my life. Not out of cowardice or guilt," she said, making it clear that she was standing firm in her actions and beliefs.

As Shakira continues to rebuild her life in Miami, it’s clear that the scars from her battle with the Spanish authorities will linger. Yet, she remains resolute, determined to tell her story on her terms, not as a victim, but as a mother protecting her children and a woman standing up for her rights.

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