• Shakira acquitted in a tax fraud case by a Spanish court.
• The court ordered the refund of over €55 million ($64 million) in wrongly imposed fines.
• Spanish authorities failed to prove she was a tax resident for the 2011 tax year.
• Shakira expressed relief and criticized the prolonged investigation into her tax affairs.
• Spain's tax agency plans to appeal the ruling.

A Spanish court has acquitted pop star Shakira in a tax fraud case, mandating the government to refund more than €55 million ($64 million) in fines and interests deemed improperly collected. This decision marks a significant outcome following Shakira's lengthy struggles with Spanish tax authorities over the past eight years, particularly related to the 2011 tax year, during which authorities could not substantiate claims that she was a tax resident in Spain, as she only lived there for 163 days, short of the required 183 days, according to a court ruling reported by NPR, BBC, and South China Morning Post.

The High Court determined that the Spanish Treasury could not legally equate Shakira's relationship with former footballer Gerard Piqué to a marital status which would warrant residency for tax obligations. The court highlighted that the authorities had not proven Shakira's “main centre or base” of economic activities was in Spain for the year in question, as emphasized in the legal documents noted by NPR and BBC.

In response to the verdict, Shakira proclaimed relief, stating the court had "finally set the record straight" after enduring what she described as "brutal public targeting" that spanned nearly a decade. She asserted that there was, in fact, "never any fraud" and criticized the tax authorities for failing to substantiate their claims, as reported by South China Morning Post and BBC.

While Shakira's representatives celebrated the ruling, they noted that Spain's tax agency has signaled intentions to appeal. This ongoing dispute is part of a broader trend where celebrity figures in Spain, including football stars like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, have faced scrutiny over tax obligations in recent years, details which are reiterated by NPR, BBC, and South China Morning Post.