Shakira has managed to avoid time behind bars after reaching a settlement in a fraud trial.
The 46-year-old star arrived at court in Barcelona, Spain for the first day of the trial only for the sudden announcement of the agreement with prosecutors.
As part of the deal, she will now have to pay a fine of an estimated £6.4million ($7.9m) for the six tax fraud crimes.
The amount is less than a third of the figure prosecutors were seeking, according to the Mail Online.
This case was initially expected to run until mid-December but all of this has now been brought to an end.
However, this all changed after the announcement of the deal with Shakira – full name Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll – saying she accepted the agreement.
The authorities had accused Shakira of allegedly defrauding the Spanish state of an estimated £12.5 million ($15.6million) on income made over a two-year period between 2012 and 2014.
She had already repaid the tax she had been accused of trying to avoid. The fine came with an estimated £15 million ($18.7 million) in interest.
Additionally, Shakira will also have to pay a fine of an estimated £378,000 ($471,000) in order to avoid jail time.
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The Whenever Wherever singer also released a lengthy statement in which she protested her innocence.
She said: “Throughout my career, I have always strived to do what’s right and set a positive example for others.
“That often means taking the extra step in business and personal financial decisions to procure the absolute best counsel, including seeking the advice of the world’s preeminent tax authorities PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited and Ernst & Young Global Limited who have been my advisors during this whole process.
“Unfortunately, and despite these efforts, tax authorities in Spain pursued a case against me as they have against many professional athletes and other high-profile individuals, draining those people’s energy, time, and tranquility for years at a time.
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“While I was determined to defend my innocence in a trial that my lawyers were confident would have ruled in my favor, I have made the decision to finally resolve this matter with the best interest of my kids at heart who do not want to see their mom sacrifice her personal well-being in this fight.
“I need to move past the stress and emotional toll of the last several years and focus on the things I love – my kids and all the opportunities to come in my career, including my upcoming world tour and my new album, both of which I am extremely excited about.”
She concluded: “I admire tremendously those who have fought these injustices to the end, but for me, today, winning is getting my time back for my kids and my career.”
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