Spain's Tax Abuses Go Beyond Targeting Celebs Like Shakira, Lawyer Alleges

TMZ

Shakira's not the only victim of some shady tax collecting over in Spain ... at least according to international lawyer Robert Amsterdam, who is warning Americans and their businesses about what he says is a bait-and-switch scheme.

Transcript

00:00During your time at the podium, you mentioned the Hacienda being sort of like a mafia.

00:06You brought in people that have experience dealing with that kind of organization.

00:11Can you take us through that?

00:13Yeah, I mean, the fact of the matter is the Hacienda, the Spanish tax agency,

00:17does not behave in a way that is normal for tax agencies.

00:21And what they do is they go after Spain's best and brightest, including celebrities,

00:26including the leading soccer players or celebrities like Shakira.

00:33And I call them scalps because what that is, it operates like an extortion ring.

00:40If you can get the big names, then you cow the entire people into submission.

00:46And the whole deal in Spain is that the Hacienda doesn't want you to protest.

00:51They don't want you to fight the claim because they know ultimately they can lose.

00:55They want you to pay the money and shut your mouth.

00:58And the reason we're here is to get American attention because there are 50,000 Americans living in Spain

01:05who are getting absolutely demolished by this organization.

01:09And we're here for them. We're also here for the poor Spanish people who can't defend themselves

01:14because the lawyers in Spain are intimidated by the Hacienda.

01:19They're afraid of having their own files opened.

01:23And the situation is that both political parties are in bed with the Hacienda.

01:28So the possibility of real change domestically is limited.

01:32And we've come to the U.S. and we're hopeful that because of this discrimination in terms of Americans,

01:38perhaps our government, and Mr. Trump doesn't seem to hesitate in terms of making things happen,

01:45our government may step in.

01:47Last, I know you cannot mention names, but have there been additional celebs come forward or notable people that are in?

01:56Absolutely. There have been major names just recently.

02:00This would be a major name in private equity that the Spaniards are criminalizing even though, you know, as the FT says,

02:11the law that they're charging this man under criminally was never clear.

02:15So they're basically taking a shot because it's so much money and the government is so deeply in debt

02:21that they're playing fast and loose with rule of law.

02:25Shakira, have you been in contact with her ongoing? Is she not interested in working with you guys?

02:30Is she done with all of this?

02:31We have never tried to speak to Shakira.

02:34Okay.

02:35She has my deepest sympathy for what she went through.

02:39But we haven't tried, you know, as I've said, we're not here soliciting clients.

02:44We're here representing the interests of some very wealthy people who are insisting on having Spain's laws change.

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