Music

Shakira Cleared in Spanish Tax Case, Receives $64 Million Refund

Spain’s National High Court ruled that tax authorities could not prove Shakira resided in the country for the minimum 183 days in 2011, leading to a $64 million tax refund.

Rolling Stone·May 18, 2026·via Rolling Stone

Shakira Cleared in Spanish Tax Case, Receives $64 Million Refund

Courts and Crime

Shakira Wins $64 Million Refund in Spanish Tax Case: ‘There Was Never Any Fraud’

Spain’s National High Court ruled that the country's tax authorities failed to prove Shakira spent 183 days in the country in 2011, the minimum required to pay personal income tax

By Jon Blistein

Jon Blistein

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May 18, 2026

Shakira will receive a €60 million (about $64 million) refund after a Spanish court ruled in her favor in a long-running dispute over her taxes.

On Monday, May 18, Spain’s National High Court ruled that the Spanish Tax Agency failed to prove that Shakira spent 183 days in the country in 2011, the minimum required to pay personal income tax. The €60 million sum comprises a refund on taxes and fines, plus interest.

In a statement shared with Rolling Stone , the Colombian pop star celebrated the ruling: “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, 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.”

During the case, Spanish authorities tried to tie Shakira to Spain via her then-new relationship with soccer star Gerard Piqué (the couple began dating in 2010 and split in 2022 ), but the court ruled that their relationship was not the same as a marriage (per The Associated Press ). The judge further stated that the tax authority failed to prove that Spain was “the main center or base” of Shakira’s business activities at the time.

Ultimately, the court stated that the agency could prove only that Shakira spent 163 days in Spain in 2011. To further bolster her case, Shakira pointed out that she spent much of that year on the road, playing 120 concerts across 2011.

Shakira’s victory, however, won’t necessarily end the dispute. Spain’s tax authority indicated its intention to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court, and stated that no payment would be made until there is a final ruling.

Still, the musician was emphatic about what today’s decision meant and pushed back against the way she was treated during the lengthy legal proceedings. “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,” Shakira said.