The Provincial Prosecutor’s Office of Barcelona, ??a specialized section for economic crimes, has requested the file of the proceedings against Shakira in the Investigative Court no. 2 of Esplugues de Llobregat initiated by the complaint that the prosecutor’s office itself filed for the taxation of the 2018 fiscal year. The Colombian artist received the distressing news of this new complaint for the 2018 fiscal year last September, a few weeks before sitting on the bench for a similar cause although of greater significance: that relating to the years 2012 to 2014 due to his residence in Spain.
At the Pau Molins Criminal Defense office, satisfaction reigns: “Shakira’s legal defense requested the filing of the judicial case for the 2018 financial year more than three months ago, just after the singer gave a statement. We are pleased that the Prosecutor’s Office has finally agreed to our request for archiving, as reported by the Prosecutor’s Office itself in its press release. But the important thing is what the investigating judge decides, who has not yet resolved our request to file.”
According to legal sources consulted by this newspaper, if the rest of the accusations – the State Attorney’s Office and the Generalitat – were also in favor of the request for her defense to be archived, the judge would necessarily have to archive it given that in these cases, if no one supports the accusation, the initial complaint must be filed.
In this case, the Public Prosecutor’s Office filed a complaint against Shakira for two crimes against the Public Treasury for personal income tax and wealth tax for the 2018 financial year and the court opened investigation proceedings. Meanwhile, the artist came out of that super-media trial held in November well, admitting her tax wrongdoing and paying the corresponding amount. Now, we have learned that the Prosecutor’s Office “considers that there is not sufficient evidence regarding the commission of the aforementioned crimes by Shakira.
However, it is understood that there is a tax obligation due to personal income tax and IP for the 2018 financial year that both the AEAT and the Tax Agency of Catalonia may make effective through administrative means. That is, it is enough to complete the amount owed without incurring criminal liability. Pau Molins will continue defending Shakira in the administrative process.
