The authorities in Spain have ordered pop singer Shakira to face trial in her $13.9 million tax evasion case.
Prosecutors are seeking an 8-year prison term for the singer. Shakira has been accused of failing to pay taxes between 2012 and 2014.
Prosecutors in Barcelona say she spent more than half of that period in Spain and should have paid taxes in the country. Shakira officially resides in the Bahamas.
The star has denied any wrongdoing. She even turned down a deal with authorities to avoid going to trial. Her team says she has paid everything she owes including $2.8 million in interest.
“The order to send Shakira to trial is just another step in any proceedings of this kind. The situation has not changed and everything continues as normal. Shakira’s legal defence will do its job by presenting its written arguments at the appropriate time,” a statement from her lawyers said.
