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OPERA

Spanish opera singer faces music over fraud

Montserrat Caballé, the operatic soprano who famously sang 'Barcelona' with Freddy Mercury, has been charged with allegedly defrauding the Spanish tax system out of more than half a million euros.

Spanish opera singer faces music over fraud
Caballé continued to live in Spain, the report claims, but became a tax resident in Andorra to dupe Spain’s Inland Revenue. Photo: Lluis Gene/AFP

A Barcelona court is currently investigating whether the 81-year-old failed to declare her earnings from 2010, amounting to €508,462.

Spain’s public prosecutor claims Caballé became a resident in Andorra, the tiny principality tucked away in the Pyrenees, “with the sole objective of not paying taxes to the Spanish State”.

She continued to live in Spain, the report claims, but became a tax resident in Andorra to dupe Spain’s Inland Revenue.

Spain’s most prolific female soprano performed in numerous concerts around Europe that year, signing all of her contracts through a dummy company based in Andorra.

Public prosecutor Carmen Martín has asked the judge to set bail or seize assets equivalent to the amount allegedly defrauded, Spain’s edition of the Huffington Post reported on Tuesday.

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