Yahoo Movies How Rich Is Shakira as She Faces Tax Fraud Charges?
Singer Shakira, most famous for her Billboard No. 1 hit “Hips Don’t Lie,” is now facing tax fraud charges — accused by Spain of evading taxes, fines, and penalties of $13.9 million between 2012 and 2014, the Associated Press reported Sept. 27. During that time, Shakira, whose full name is Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, officially resided in the Bahamas but allegedly spent more than half of her time in Spain.
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The 45-year-old singer could face up to eight years in prison and a hefty fine if she’s found guilty.
Her public relations firm, however, says she has paid all past-due taxes plus an additional $2.8 million in interest, the AP reported.
Today, Shakira is worth an estimated $300 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Shakira: Early Career and Awards
Born in Columbia in 1977, Shakira got an early start in music. She signed her first record label contract when she was just 13, according to LoveProperty.com. She released albums in 1991 and 1993, but after achieving little to no acclaim, success — or sales — she shifted to acting. She worked on the Colombian telenovela “El Oasis,” but ultimately went back to music with two more albums in 1995 and 1998. These albums were significantly more popular than her previous two.
Shakira made it big in the U.S. in 2001 as her first English language album, “Laundry Service” — bearing the hit “Whenever, Wherever” — sold 13 million copies, PropertyLove.com detailed. Years later, Variety claimed she had sold more than 100 million albums worldwide.
She primarily earns her money from album royalties, concert tours, and merchandise sales. She signed as a coach on NBC’s “The Voice” during Seasons 4 and 6, where she earned $12 million per season, per The Hollywood Reporter.
In August 2018, her El Dorado World Tour grossed $75 million and spawned a documentary that was released during a one-night theatrical event in 2019, Entertainment Weekly reported.
Shakira also returned briefly to acting as the voice of Gazelle in the Disney animated movie “Zootopia,” and will reprise the role in the “Zootopia+” TV series, currently in post-production, according to IMDb.
The pop star has accrued three Grammy Awards, 12 Latin Grammy Awards, four MTV Music Video Awards, and many more industry accolades.
In addition, she has earned a spot on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was named 58th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes magazine in 2014, according to Grammy.com.
Shakira: Family and Real Estate
Shakira owns property in Miami Beach, Uruguay, and the Bahamas. The latter country was listed as the location of her primary residence for tax purposes between 2012 and 2014. She also lived in Barcelona during that time, which is what may have led to her tax troubles with the country of Spain.
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Shakira separated from soccer star Gerard Pique in the summer of 2022. The two were not married, but share two children, ages 7 and 9 at the time of the separation, according to Yahoo News. Since they weren’t married and Pique is worth roughly $80 million, it is speculated that neither will make or lose money as a result of the separation.
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