Colombian popstar Shakira has reached a settlement with Spanish authorities to avoid a trial accusing her of evading millions of dollars in taxes. The terms of the settlement were read in a Barcelona courtroom on Monday, the same day the trial was set to begin. Shakira had been accused of evading over 14.5 million euros in taxes owed to the Spanish government and was facing a potential eight-year prison sentence. As part of the settlement, she must pay a fine of about 7.3 million euros and accept a three-year suspended sentence. Prior to the settlement, Shakira had maintained her innocence for five years. However, she has now acknowledged the charges against her and has been found guilty of tax fraud. The charges relate to taxes owed between 2012 and 2014, during which prosecutors alleged that Shakira spent more than half of that time living in Spain and should have paid taxes on her worldwide income. Shakira gave a statement following the settlement, stating that she made the decision for the sake of her children and to focus on her career. This case is not the end of Shakira’s legal troubles, as she has also been charged with evading taxes on her 2018 income. Despite her official residence being in the Bahamas, Shakira has been linked to Spain since her relationship with retired soccer player Gerard Pique, with whom she has two children. She was named in the “Paradise Papers” leaks that exposed offshore tax arrangements of high-profile individuals. In recent years, Spanish tax authorities have cracked down on tax evasion by celebrities, including soccer stars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.