Pop star Shakira reaches a deal with Spanish prosecutors on the first day of tax fraud trial
On Monday, the first day of Shakira's tax fraud trial in Barcelona, she made a deal with the Spanish government. This kept her from going to jail.
Shakira told the judge in charge, José Manuel del Amo, that she agreed with the deal that the lawyers came to.
Six counts of not paying the Spanish government 14.5 million euros (about $15.8 million) in taxes between 2012 and 2014 were brought against her. She answered "yes" to show that she admitted to them.
Under the deal, Shakira is to receive a suspended three-year sentence and a multi-million euro fine.
The trial, which would have included more than 100 witnesses over the following weeks, was instead called off after just eight minute
In July, prosecutors said they would seek a jail sentence of eight years and two months and a fine of 24 million euros ($26 million) for the singer. Her Spanish and English hits in a variety of musical styles have won her fans all over the world.