Shakira is accused of tax crimes for the second time

The Spanish government has accused Colombian pop star Shakira for the second time of tax evasion.

Prosecutors in Spain allege the singer defrauded the state out of €6.7m ($7.1m, £5.8m) in 2018.

They say this happened when she failed to declare advance payments in the millions for her El Dorado world tour, among other payments.

Spanish prosecutors opened the second investigation in July 2023, but released details on Tuesday.

Spanish network RTVE says the 46-year-old singer is aware of the new charges, but Reuters news agency reports that Shakira’s legal team in Miami – where she now lives – has not yet been informed of them.

Instead, they told Reuters in a statement that they “focused on preparing for trial for the fiscal years 2012-2014, which will begin on November 20.”

The new accusations are based on the fact that in 2018, Shakira was living in Barcelona with soccer star Gerard Pique, and was therefore required to tax all her international earnings there.

They argue that it instead diverted its money to “companies based in countries with low taxes and high transparency.”

In this case, she was accused of failing to pay taxes worth 14.5 million euros ($15.3 million, £12.6 million) between 2012 and 2014, but she has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

“I am confident that I have enough evidence to support my case and that justice will prevail in my favor,” she said in September in an interview with the Spanish version of Elle magazine.