A Spanish court has ordered the country’s tax authority to refund €55 million to Colombian singer Shakira after ruling that the money had been improperly collected during a long-running tax dispute.

Spain’s national high court acquitted the singer of tax fraud allegations linked to the 2011 fiscal year and instructed the Treasury to repay the funds along with accrued interest.

The ruling stated that tax authorities failed to prove Shakira spent the minimum 183 days required in Spain during 2011 to qualify as a tax resident.

Court Finds Residency Threshold Was Not Met

According to the court, Shakira spent 163 days in Spain during the year in question, falling 20 days short of the residency threshold.

The judges concluded that the fines imposed by Spanish tax authorities were unlawful because they were based on an unproven assumption that Spain was her official tax residence at the time.

The repayment includes approximately €24 million in income tax along with nearly €25 million in penalties previously imposed for what authorities had described as a “very serious” infringement.

The Spanish tax agency has confirmed it intends to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court and said no repayment would be made until the legal process is окончательно resolved.

Shakira Says Court Has “Set The Record Straight”

In a statement following the ruling, Shakira said the court had “finally set the record straight” after nearly a decade of legal and public scrutiny.

The singer said she had endured “brutal public targeting” and campaigns designed to damage her reputation.

“There was never any fraud, and the Administration itself could never prove otherwise, simply because it wasn’t true,” she said.

She also accused authorities of treating her as guilty throughout the investigation and leaking details of the case to the public.

Shakira dedicated the legal victory to ordinary citizens who, she said, are forced to prove their innocence at significant emotional and financial cost.

Long-Running Dispute With Spanish Authorities

The case formed part of several disputes between Shakira and Spain’s tax agency over her financial affairs.

In a separate case, the singer previously reached a settlement in 2018 to avoid trial over broader fraud allegations.

Writing in Spanish newspaper El Mundo in 2024, Shakira compared the investigations into her finances to an “inquisition trial.”

The singer had lived in Spain for more than a decade during her relationship with former Barcelona and Spain footballer Gerard Piqué.

The couple reportedly met in 2010 while filming the music video for Waka Waka, the official song of the FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

World Tour And Major Performances Ahead

The ruling comes as Shakira prepares to conclude her Women Don’t Cry Anymore world tour with a residency in Madrid beginning in September.

Last week, organisers also announced that she will perform alongside Madonna and BTS during the halftime show at this summer’s FIFA Men’s World Cup final.