Shakira's Team Blasts Spanish Government Amid $14m Tax Case

Shakira's representatives have hit out at the Spanish government as the singer prepares for a court battle over tax fraud allegations.

The Hips Don't Lie singer, 45, has been accused of failing to pay taxes in Spain between 2012 and 2014, prompting prosecutors to call for the Colombian-born Shakira to face an eight-year prison sentence and a multi-million euro fine on Friday.

It has been alleged by Spanish authorities that Shakira owes 14.5 million euros (around $14.7 million) in unpaid taxes. The star has countered that she had legal residency in the Bahamas, which has no income tax, during the time in question.

However, a spokesperson for Shakira said that the musician will fight for a full acquittal after rejecting a plea deal.

The representative told the U.K. newspaper Metro: "Shakira has always cooperated and abided by the law, demonstrating impeccable conduct as an individual and a taxpayer, and faithfully following the counsel of PriceWaterhouse Coopers, a prestigious and globally recognized tax firm.

"Unfortunately, the Spanish Tax Office, which loses one out of every two lawsuits with its taxpayers, continues to violate her rights and pursue yet another baseless case. Shakira is confident that her innocence will be proven by the end of the judicial process."

No details have been made available on the deal prosecutors offered to Shakira. A trial date has yet to be announced.

Back in October, it was revealed that Shakira was set to be reimbursed by the Spanish Treasury, following a court order over her tax dispute.

While it was not specified how much money Shakira stood to be reimbursed, or when the ruling was made, representatives for the star told Newsweek that she would be paid back for "a series of surcharges that the Tax Agency incorrectly collected."

"In view of the disagreement with the collection, Shakira's defense filed a supplementary declaration that has been resolved by the courts, ruling in her favor and requiring the Tax Agency to return the amounts that she was forced to pay unfairly," read a statement shared with Newsweek.

"Shakira's legal team reiterates its full confidence in the justice system," the statement continued. "This is an example of the fact that, more often than it might seem, the courts go against the criteria of the Administration, even going so far as to annul settlements made incorrectly by the Tax Authorities."

While Spanish authorities continue to pursue Shakira on tax evasion charges, the singer has said that she had only been visiting Spain "sporadically" during the years in question.

Prosecutors alleged that the singer had been living in Barcelona due to her relationship with F.C. Barcelona soccer star Gerard Piqué, with whom she has two sons. The couple announced their separation in June.

Representatives for Shakira had previously said that the singer earned most of her money from international tours and had not lived in Spain for more than six months per year.