Pop Star Shakira Reaches Deal With Spanish Prosecutors on First Day of Tax Fraud Trial

BARCELONA, Spain—After having maintained her innocence for nearly five years, pop star Shakira struck a last-minute deal to avoid the risk of going to prison on the opening day of her tax fraud trial in Barcelona on Monday. Shakira told the presiding magistrate, José Manuel del Amo, that she accepted the agreement reached with prosecutors. She answered “yes” to confirm her acknowledgement of six counts of failing to pay the Spanish government 14.5 million euros (about $15.8 million) in taxes between 2012 and 2014. Under the deal, Shakira is to receive a suspended three-year sentence and a fine of 7 million euros ($7.6 million). The trial, which would have included more than 100 witnesses over the following weeks, was instead called off after just eight minutes....