Shakira – the famous Colombian singer, has long been known not only for her musical talent but also for her admirable charity activities. In 2009, she attracted attention when she decided to use her entire salary of 13 billion VND from an advertising contract to build two schools in her hometown Colombia. This was a noble act, demonstrating the singer’s kindness and desire to improve educational conditions for poor children.
The two schools built with this money have provided educational opportunities for thousands of disadvantaged children in Colombia. Shakira believes that education is the key to changing lives and eradicating poverty. She has spoken many times about the importance of investing in education and child development, especially in disadvantaged areas.
However, 14 years after this commendable act of charity, Shakira is facing serious accusations of tax evasion. In July 2023, Spanish prosecutors filed a lawsuit against the singer, accusing her of evading taxes of up to $ 15.8 million between 2012 and 2014. This is a huge blow to the image of Shakira, who has always been loved and admired by the public.
Shakira has denied the allegations and maintained her innocence, claiming that the allegations are a smear campaign by the Spanish government. The singer claims that she has paid 90 million euros in taxes to the Spanish government and does not owe them anything. Shakira also stressed that she has followed all the advice from PriceWaterhouseCoopers, one of the world’s largest accounting firms.
The incident has caused a lot of controversy and mixed opinions among the public. Some believe that this may be a misunderstanding of complex tax laws between countries, while others believe that this is an act of deliberate tax evasion. Either way, the incident has had a significant impact on Shakira’s public image.
However, there is no denying the great contributions Shakira has made to the community throughout her career. In addition to building schools, she has also participated in many other charitable activities such as donating to victims of the Haiti earthquake, supporting poor children in India and establishing the Pies Descalzos Foundation to improve education for Colombian children.
