Pop star Shakira was all smiles when she was seen in public shortly before it was revealed she could face up to eight years in prison if found guilty of £12 million tax fraud.
Spanish prosecutors are also demanding a £19 million fine for the 45-year-old singer, who has been accused of defrauding the state six times between 2012 and 2014.
She was spotted last week arriving at a Mexican resort in Cabo taking advantage of Primesky, a premium and private concierge service, with her two boys she shares with the footballer. Gerard Pique.
The charges come after the Colombian-born mother of two rejected an out-of-court settlement alleging she had done something wrong.
She has already repaid the money she allegedly owes the Treasury, along with interest believed to total £3 million.
The charges were contained in a complaint filed by prosecutors at the investigating judge near Barcelona, and made public for the first time today.
Shakira – full name Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll – is accused of pretending to live abroad and using a complex offshore corporate structure to evade taxes.
She is accused of taking advantage of the illegal scheme from 2012 and 2014, when she was in a relationship with Pique, who lives and plays in Barcelona.
Shakira, 45, laughs as she is spotted in Cabo with her two boys last Friday, despite a possible eight-year jail term hanging over her head
She was seen near the site of a private jet in the Mexican resort of Cabo on the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula.
Shakira (pictured in Mexico this week) faces up to eight years in prison in Spain for allegedly evading £12 million in tax between 2012 and 2014
The couple – who have two children together – split earlier this year after allegations in local media that Pique had been unfaithful.
Shakira is said to have tried twice to rekindle the relationship, but was rejected by Pique before the couple confirmed their divorce.
Despite the split, the couple appears to have remained on marital terms and have been seen going to their children’s sports games together.
A spokesperson for Shakira said: “Shakira has always been cooperative and law-abiding, has shown impeccable behavior as an individual and taxpayer, and has faithfully followed the advice of PriceWaterhouse Coopers, a prestigious and globally recognized tax office.
“Unfortunately, the Spanish tax authorities, which lose one in two lawsuits with its taxpayers, continue to violate its rights and bring another unfounded case.
“Shakira is confident that her innocence will be proven at the end of the court proceedings.”
Shakira, a former tax resident of the Bahamas, only registered as a full tax resident in Spain in 2015.
Official residents of Spain pay Spanish tax on their worldwide income.
People who have spent more than 183 days in Spain in any given calendar year are considered Spanish residents for tax purposes.
Tax inspectors spent more than a year checking on Shakira, even visiting her favorite barbers in Barcelona and checking her social media to try and show that she had been in dispute in Spain for most of the three years.
They concluded that she spent 242 days in Spain in 2012, 212 days in 2013 and 243 days in the country in 2014.
The report filed by the prosecutors along with their criminal complaint alleged that the time she spent outside of Spain was “sporadic absences” related to work commitments.
Shakira has denied all allegations.
The alleged fraud took place around the time Shakira moved to Barcelona to live with partner Gerard Pique, who plays football in the city
A spokesperson for the signatory said: “Shakira has always been cooperative and law-abiding, has shown impeccable behavior as an individual and taxpayer, and has faithfully followed the advice of PriceWaterhouse Coopers, a prestigious and globally recognized tax office.
“Unfortunately, the Spanish tax authorities, which lose one in two lawsuits with its taxpayers, continue to violate its rights and bring another unfounded case.
“Shakira is confident that her innocence will be proven at the end of the court proceedings.”
A date for the trial has not yet been set, and some analysts predict an 11-hour deal could be struck before Shakira is asked to take the position.
The singer and Pique announced they split in May after 11 years together amid unconfirmed reports that the footballer had cheated.
The former couple is said to have been negotiating the future of their two children in recent weeks because Shakira wants to move to Miami with them.