The singer said she hopes her case will set a precedent for “the thousands of ordinary citizens who are abused and crushed every day by a system that presumes their guilt.”

Shakira acquitted of tax fraud in Spain, in line for $70 million payout

The singer said she hopes her case will set a precedent for "the thousands of ordinary citizens who are abused and crushed every day by a system that presumes their guilt."

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

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May 18, 2026 12:06 p.m. ET

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Shakira attends the announcement of the FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show on May 14, 2026. Credit:

- Spain's High Court has acquitted Shakira of tax fraud after a lengthy appeal process.

- The Treasury has been ordered to reimburse the singer for more than $70 million, including interest and legal fees.

- The Spanish tax agency plans to appeal and says no repayment will be made until the appeal ends.

Shakira is celebrating a major legal victory.

Spain's national court has acquitted the Colombian pop star of tax fraud and overturned the $64 million fine imposed by the Spanish tax agency in 2021. The nation's High Court announced the ruling on Monday, and ordered the country’s tax authorities to repay her tens of millions of dollars.

The singer, whose full name is Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, celebrated the result in a statement provided to* *, noting that her victory comes after "more than eight years of enduring brutal public targeting, orchestrated campaigns to destroy my reputation, and sleepless nights that ultimately impacted my health and my family's well-being."

Shakira continued, "The National High Court has finally set the record straight. There was never any fraud, and the Administration itself could never prove otherwise, simply because it wasn't true. Yet, for nearly a decade, I was treated as guilty. Every step of the process was leaked, distorted, and amplified, using my name and public image to send a threatening message to the rest of the taxpayers. Today, that narrative crumbles, and it does so with the full force of a court ruling."

Shakira during a free concert at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on May 2, 2026.

Pablo PORCIUNCULA / AFP via Getty

The decade-old case was founded on the allegations that Shakira had been a resident of Spain in 2011 and therefore owed taxes to the Spanish government that year. It was ruled that the fines charged to Shakira were unlawful as they were "based on the assumption that the appellant’s tax residence was in Spain for the 2011 fiscal year, a fact which has not been proven."

The judge ruled ⁠that authorities failed to prove that Shakira spent more than 183 days in Spain ​in 2011, as required by Spanish law to be considered a tax resident in the country. The Treasury has thus been ordered to reimburse her with ​over 60 million euros ($70 million), including interest and legal fees. The tax agency said it would appeal with the Supreme Court and no payment will be made until the final ruling, per Reuters.

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Shakira concluded her statement, "My greatest wish is that this ruling sets a precedent for the Treasury and serves the thousands of ordinary citizens who are abused and crushed every day by a system that presumes their guilt and forces them to prove their innocence at the cost of economic and emotional ruin. This victory is dedicated to them."

Shakira on May 3, 2026.

Kevin Mazur/Getty

José Luis Prada, Shakira’s attorney, echoed this sentiment in a separate statement.

"Shakira had the strength and resources to see this through to the end, but this modus operandi suffocates many ordinary taxpayers who do not have the means to defend themselves," Prada said. "For this reason, it is an immense relief and a source of deep pride to witness the rigor and independence of our courts. It comforts us to see that, when faced with unacceptable administrative stances, we can rely on a justice system that truly works and ensures the rule of law."

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The ruling announced Monday applies only to 2011. In a separate case, prosecutors have accused Shakira of six counts of tax fraud, claiming that she had failed to pay €14.5 million in income taxes to the Spanish government from 2012 to 2014. Shakira settled the case in November 2023, agreeing to pay a fine of over €7.5 million. just before she was due to head to trial. At the time, she stated that she decided again a lengthy legal battle in court to focus on time with her kids and creative endeavors, including her album and world tour.

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