• Shakira acquitted of tax fraud; Spain ordered to return over €60 million.
• The court found Spanish authorities failed to prove Shakira was a tax resident.
• Shakira claims vindication after years of reputational damage and stress.
• The ruling comes as the singer completes her world tour.

A Spanish court has acquitted Colombian pop star Shakira of tax fraud and ordered the Spanish Treasury to return over €60 million (approximately $70 million) in fines. The ruling follows a lengthy dispute regarding Shakira's residency status for tax purposes in 2011, during which authorities could not demonstrate she spent the required 183 days in Spain, according to Reuters, NPR, BBC, and South China Morning Post.

In explaining their decision, the High Court highlighted that Shakira spent only 163 days in Spain that year, a finding critical to establishing her tax residency. It was noted that Spanish tax authorities had previously linked her status to her relationship with former soccer player Gerard Piqué but failed to substantiate this connection as a basis for tax residency, according to Channel News Asia and NPR.

Shakira expressed relief at the ruling, stating it has "finally set the record straight" after years of facing public scrutiny and distress which impacted her health and wellbeing. She emphasized that throughout the ordeal, there was never any fraud committed, a notion reinforced by the court's judgment, as reported by Reuters, BBC, and South China Morning Post.

This acquittal marks a significant victory for Shakira as she contemplates future endeavors, including wrapping up her world tour in Spain. The Spanish Treasury, however, expressed intentions to appeal the ruling, which casts uncertainty on the timeline for the reimbursement, as noted by Channel News Asia and South China Morning Post.