Spain seeks eight-year jail term for Shakira in unpaid taxes case

Shakira, a Colombian singer, is facing an eight-year sentence after being found guilty of a €14.5 million (£3.8 million) tax fraud.

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The prosecutor's office made a settlement offer to end the case earlier this week, but the singer rejected it.

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Shakira claims she did not reside in Spain between 2012 and 2014, although she is accused of neglecting to pay taxes during that time.

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According to the prosecutor's dossier, which Reuters has access to, Shakira usually lived in Spain between 2012 and 2014.

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Shakira purchased a home in Barcelona in May 2012 and made it her residence.

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The paper demanded an eight-year prison term and a fine of more than €23 million if she were proven guilty.

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Shakira's agents cited a statement from Wednesday that said the singer was "certain of her innocence."

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The Spanish tax agency claimed the 45-year-old singer owed €17.2 million in taxes, which she claimed to have already paid.

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The development came a month after Shakira and her husband, the FC Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué, announced their separation.

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