Shakira has officially been acquitted in a major Spanish tax fraud case after Spain’s High Court ruled that authorities failed to prove she was legally a tax resident in the country during 2011.  

The court overturned a previous €55 million ($64 million) penalty and ordered Spain’s Treasury to reimburse the singer more than €60 million (around $70 million) including interest.  

Why the Court Ruled in Her Favor :

Under Spanish law, an individual must spend more than 183 days in Spain within a year to qualify as a tax resident.

According to the ruling, authorities were only able to prove that Shakira spent 163 days in Spain during 2011 below the legal threshold.  

The court also rejected arguments that her relationship with former footballer Gerard Piqué automatically established Spain as the center of her economic interests.  

Shakira Responds :

Following the decision, Shakira criticized what she described as years of public targeting and damage to her reputation.

In a statement released through her legal team, she said:

“There was never any fraud.”  

Her lawyer described the eight-year legal process as exhausting and praised the court’s independence in overturning the earlier penalties.  

Separate From Her Previous Tax Settlement:

The ruling only applies to the 2011 tax dispute.

It does not erase the separate 2023 agreement in which Shakira settled another Spanish tax case tied to 2012–2014 payments in order to avoid trial.  

Spain’s tax agency is reportedly expected to appeal the new acquittal to the Supreme Court.  

After nearly a decade of legal battles, Shakira has secured one of the biggest courtroom victories of her career.

The ruling marks a major reputational win for the global pop star while reigniting conversations around celebrity taxation, residency laws, and the aggressive financial scrutiny faced by high-profile entertainers in Europe.