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Shakira, the superstar singer from Colombia, was in legal trouble in Spain. Spanish authorities said she didn’t pay taxes.
However, the Grammy-winning singer Shakira was able to avoid a long time in court. She told Spanish authorities that it was true she didn’t pay taxes. She also agreed to pay all of the taxes back and an additional fine.
In total, she paid €17.5 million ($19 million). The fine she paid was €7.3 million ($8 million) and the taxes she owed were €10.2 million ($11 million).
Prosecutors also wanted Shakira to go to prison for eight years, but Shakira agreed to pay an additional $470,000 fine instead. She will avoid prison.
On Monday, she was in court for about only 10 minutes. The judge announced the agreement between Spanish authorities and Shakira. Shakira told the judge that she understood the agreement.
Shakira later said she did pay all of her taxes, but she didn’t want to go to court for a long time. That’s why she told authorities she didn’t pay the taxes and agreed to pay all of the money.
She said that she didn’t want to spend years in court, lose time with her children, stop making music and stop her tours because of the tax problem. It was quicker and easier to just pay the fines and continue enjoying her career.
In September 2022, in an interview with Elle magazine, Shakira said the news from Spanish authorities about her not paying taxes was “false.”
Vocabulary
- Superstar – A very famous and talented person, like a celebrity
- Legal – related to or connected to law; related to the rules/laws of a country
- Authorities – a group of people or organization with official legal power to make decisions or protect the law, e.g., the police or a government department
- Tax – money that a government requires people or businesses to pay
- Avoid – stay away from; keep away; try not to do
- Court – an agency or part of government with judges who decide what is right or wrong
- Additional – Something more or extra; to add to
- Fine – a penalty or punishment you have to pay with money
- Million – 1,000,000 – one-million
- Owe – To have a duty to pay or repay something to someone; To have to pay back money
- Prosecutor – A person who represents the government in legal matters and accuses someone of a crime; A lawyer who represents the government in court cases
- Prison – a place where people are kept as punishment for a crime they did; a building filled with criminals
- Instead – rather than; in place of something else; “not that, but something else”; substitute; alternative
- Judge – A person who decides who is right and who is wrong in a court of law; 👩⚖️
- Announce – share information openly; to tell the public; to make a statement; to report
- Agreement – an understanding, plan or contract made between two or more people/groups
- Tour – A series of performances or visits to different places (e.g., concert tour)
- Interview – a conversation or meeting where someone is asked questions to learn about them, often for jobs or news
- False – not true; not correct
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- What do you think about Shakira’s decision to settle the tax issue by paying fines instead of going to court for a long time?
- How do you think Shakira’s career might be affected by this legal issue?
- In your opinion, should celebrities be treated differently in legal matters compared to regular people? Why or why not?
- Do you think paying large fines is an equal or better punishment than prison? Why or why not?
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
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Original Story
Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice
Shakira, the _____ singer from Colombia, was in legal trouble in _____ Spanish authorities said she didn’t pay _____.
However, the Grammy-winning _____ Shakira was able to avoid a long time in _____. She told Spanish authorities that it was true _____ didn’t pay taxes. She also agreed to pay all of the taxes back and an _____ fine.
In total, she _____ €17.5 million ($19 million). The fine she paid was €7.3 _____ ($8 million) and the taxes she owed _____ €10.2 million ($11 million).
Prosecutors also wanted Shakira _____ go to prison for eight years, but Shakira agreed to pay _____ additional $470,000 fine instead. She will _____ prison.
On Monday, she was in _____ for about only 10 minutes. The judge announced the agreement _____ Spanish authorities and Shakira. Shakira _____ the judge that she understood the agreement.
Shakira _____ said she did pay all of her taxes, but she didn’t _____ to go to court for a long time. That’s why she told _____ she didn’t pay the taxes and agreed to pay all of the _____.
She said that _____ didn’t want to spend years in court, _____ time with her children, stop making music and _____ her tours because of the tax problem. It was _____ and easier to just pay the fines and continue enjoying her _____.
In September _____, in an interview with Elle magazine, Shakira said the _____ from Spanish authorities about her not paying taxes was “_____.”
