Shakira may have settled one of her tax issues at a Spanish court more than a week ago, but prosecutors aren’t finished with her just yet.
The Grammy winner agreed to pay nearly $8 million in her criminal case, but in a separate probe, investigators are looking at tax fraud that allegedly took place in 2018 to the tune of over $7 million. After settling her first tax issues, it seems like she’s trying to get ahead and finish with this other investigation as well.
According to anonymous sources cited by the Spanish newspaper El Periodico, Shakira has “deposited” another $7 million into the 2018 investigation by the Spanish court. It’s unknown if these extra funds are part of a bond she has to pay or another settlement amount. But the consensus is that she’s trying to be done with the other tax fraud investigation as soon as possible with this being a gesture of goodwill that doesn’t admit guilt.
If the extra $7 million is actually used to settle the other case against her, the total amount Shakira would have coughed up to resolve her longstanding tax issues would be approximately $34 million.
On November 19, Shakira responded in the affirmative when asked by a judge if she recognized the six counts against her, which totaled about $15.8 million in unpaid taxes to the Spanish government and saw her avoiding jail time.
She released a statement to Variety that said that while she was settling the case “with the best interest of my kids at heart who do not want to see their mom sacrifice her personal well-being in this fight,” although she did state that her lawyers were confident a court would have ruled in her favor.
“I need to move past the stress and emotional toll of the last several years and focus on the things I love — my kids and all the opportunities to come in my career, including my upcoming world tour and my new album, both of which I am extremely excited about,” her statement read. “I admire tremendously those who have fought these injustices to the end, but for me, today, winning is getting my time back for my kids and my career.”