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Spanish Court Overturns 2011 Shakira Tax Case, Orders €55 Million-Plus Refund

Spain’s tax agency plans to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Overview

  • Spain’s National Court, ruling Monday in Madrid, cleared Shakira in her 2011 tax case and ordered a refund exceeding €55 million.
  • Judges said officials failed to prove she spent more than the 183 days in Spain needed to be taxed as a resident, counting only 163 days in 2011.
  • The repayment covers income tax, penalties and other sums taken in the case, plus interest and legal costs, with media estimates ranging from over €55 million to about €60 million.
  • The decision applies only to the 2011 tax year and does not change her separate 2012–2014 case, which she resolved in 2023 with fines and a suspended sentence.
  • Shakira said the years-long fight damaged her health and family and insisted she never committed fraud, calling the ruling a long-awaited vindication.