Barcelona legend Gerard Pique's ex Shakira facing 8 years in jail if found guilty of tax fraud as she prepares to attend hearing - Reports

Barcelona legend Gerard Pique’s former partner, Shakira, is set to face trial at the Barcelona Court of Justice after being accused of defrauding the Spanish tax authorities. If proven guilty, she could be sentenced to up to eight years and two months in prison.

According to El Nacional, the singer is accused of defrauding the Spanish tax authorities of €14.5 million. It has been alleged that she pretended not to reside in Spain and hid her income using a series of shell companies based out of tax havens.

The Sixth Section of the Barcelona Court of Justice has scheduled 12 dates to try the matter: November 20, 22, 23, 28, 29 and 30 and December 4, 5, 11, 12, 13 and 14. It's believed that there are over 100 witnesses who could testify over the course of the trial.

The dates could be reduced if the Colombian reaches an agreement with the prosecution, the State Attorney's Office and the Catalan government, who are parties to the trial.

Pique’s former partner has already paid €14.5 million plus €3 million (interest) to the Spanish tax authorities for an alleged tax fraud that took place between 2012 and 2014. Initially, the prosecution had demanded €23.7 million in fines, eight years and two months in prison and 18 years and one month of tax incentive penalties.

Till now, Shakira refused to admit guilt and did not accept the Spanish tax authority's initial settlement proposal. Now, her lawyers at Pau Molins (Molins Defensa Penal) reportedly believe she could come to a settlement with the authorities.

Court judge Jose Manuel del Amo has offered Shakira the option to only deliver her statement in person and remain absent for the remaining days of the trial. The same was witnessed when Gerard Pique’s former teammate Neymar stood trial in 2022.

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Gerard Pique’s mother refuses to give opinion on her son’s split with Shakira

Gerard Pique’s mother Dr. Montserrat Bernabeu was recently asked to share her opinion about her son’s breakup with Colombian sensation Shakira. She refused to comment on the matter, saying that she has a personal and professional life to attend to.

Montserrat, a physical rehabilitation specialist, said (via Hola):

“I have a professional life, and I have a family life. When I am at work, I am Dr. Berbaneu, and I dedicate myself exclusively to that. I focus on what I have to do.”

Gerard Pique and Shakira were together for 11 years before going their separate ways in June 2022.

It has been widely reported that Montserrat did not have a warm relationship with the “Waka Waka” star after a video showed Pique’s mother forcefully shutting the singer up.