Shakira Blasts Spanish Authorities For Her Tax Fraud Case, Brands It A 'Smear Campaign'

In connection with tax fraud case, Colombian singer Shakira reportedly accused the Spanish prosecutors of launching a “smear campaign” against her.

According to documents obtained by TMZ on Friday, the 45-year-old Grammy winner claimed that the authorities “violated her right to privacy.” They did so by handling matters publicly and without the presumption of innocence.

The singer's legal team reportedly also laid out the reasons why she is not liable for the tax bill. They alleged that she was not a resident of Spain during the time period in question. The singer only has to pay taxes if she spends 183 days or more in Spain in one single year, as per the Spanish law.

Two months ago, a Spanish judge ordered the “The Voice” coach to stand trial for allegedly failing to pay $13.9 million in taxes on income that she earned between 2012 and 2014, reported Page Six. If she is found guilty, she could face up to eight years in jail and cough up $24 million as fine.

But she has denied that she was a full-time resident of Spain from 2012 to 2014. She reportedly paid $10,141,075 in taxes to the American government. This was the time when she appeared as a coach on the singing-based reality show "The Voice." She said that she was not in Spain for the requisite period of time, which is 183 days.

Shakira also claimed that the Spanish government is also gunning for her failure to pay in 2011. She said that she was on a world tour and only spent a total of 60 days in the country. However, prosecutors reportedly claim that the Colombian-born singer declared herself as a Spanish tax resident in 2015. It happened after she settled there with her now-former partner, Gerard Piqué, and their two young sons, Milan and Sasha.

Shakira and the 35-year-old Spanish soccer star announced their breakup in June after being together for more than a decade. A statement released by the “Whenever, Wherever” singer's team read that they "regret to confirm that we are separating." It read that for the well-being of their kids, who are the former couple's "highest priority, we ask that you respect our privacy."

After the split, the singer reportedly has plans to move to Miami with her two sons.