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POP star Shakira has been ordered to stand trial by a Spanish court in a tax fraud case, judicial authorities have announced.

The "Hips Don't Lie" singer could face a prison sentence of more than eight years after she rejected a plea deal in July on accusations of tax evasion.

Singer Shakira has been told she must go to trial over tax fraud charges
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Singer Shakira has been told she must go to trial over tax fraud chargesCredit: Reuters
The Colombian-born pop star faces up to eight years in jail
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The Colombian-born pop star faces up to eight years in jailCredit: Getty
Shakira split up with long-term boyfriend Gerard Pique this year
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Shakira split up with long-term boyfriend Gerard Pique this yearCredit: Getty

Colombian-born superstar Shakira, 45, is charged with defrauding the Spanish treasury out of millions over a three-year period between 2012 and 2014.

She is alleged to have claimed that she did not live in Spain during these years, while her then-partner Gerard Pique was playing for Barcelona.

Tax inspectors spent more than a year tracking Shakira's movements, even visiting her favourite hairdressers in Barcelona and keeping tabs on her social media to try and prove she spent most of her time in Spain during this time.

The pop star, who catapulted to global fame with her 2001 hit ";Wherever, Whenever", was previously a tax resident in the Bahamas, and only registered as a full tax resident in Spain in 2015.

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A judge in Barcelona has agreed that the singer must go to trial, the exact date of which has not yet been announced, but is expected to be in the coming months.

According to the Prosecutor's Office, in 2012, 2013, and 2014, Shakira spent more than 183 days a year in Spain, making her a tax resident.

The only time she spent outside of Spain was when she went to the US to serve as a judge on "The Voice", reports.

Spanish prosecutors are pushing for the highest-possible sentence over six separate counts of tax fraud totalling 14.5 million euros (£13m).

As well as an eight-year prison sentence, state prosecutors want the mum-of-two to be slapped with a 23 million euro fine (£19.2m).

Shakira - full name Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll - denies any wrongdoing.

Her PR firm said after she was formally charged: "She believes in her innocence and has opted to leave the issue in the hands of the law.

She has already repaid the 14.5 million euros she defrauded through various tax havens.

Earlier this month, Shakira addressed her split from long-term boyfriend Pique for the first time, describing it as the "darkest time of her life".

I put my career in second gear and I came to Spain, to support him [Pique]

Shakira

The couple met in 2010 when Spain international Pique appeared in the music video for her World Cup song "Waka Waka".

But speaking to , Shakira implied she had "sacrificed" her career for her children so that Pique could continue his footballing career at Barcelona.

"One of the two of us had to make a sacrifice, right?" she told the publication. "Either he [Pique] would stop his contract with Barcelona and move to the US with me, where my career is, or I would have to do that instead."

She added: "I put my career in second gear and I came to Spain, to support him so he could play football and win titles. And it was a sacrifice of love."

Recently, the former couple were spotted attending their son's baseball game in Barcelona.

The pair stayed apart at all times, with Shakira even wearing a sign on her back reading "Keep Back".

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Pique has since been pictured with his new girlfriend, 23-year-old Clara Chia.

A number of fans of Shakira have been quick to point out the PR student's supposed resemblance to Pique's ex.

Last week, Shakira opened up on the split for the first time
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Last week, Shakira opened up on the split for the first timeCredit: AFP
Shakira falsely claimed that she wasn't resident in Spain between 2012 and 2014
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Shakira falsely claimed that she wasn't resident in Spain between 2012 and 2014Credit: Instagram
Pique was pictured at her son's baseball game with Pique recently - but the pair kept apart
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Pique was pictured at her son's baseball game with Pique recently - but the pair kept apart
She described the split as the 'darkest time' in her life
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She described the split as the 'darkest time' in her lifeCredit: Getty
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