Shakira To Leave Barcelona For Miami Amid Messy Custody Battle, Tax Fraud Case: Report

Shakira wants to leave Barcelona for good and live full-time in Miami amid a contentious breakup and custody battle with Gerard Pique, a new report claimed. The "Waka Waka" hitmaker is also facing up to eight years in jail after Spanish authorities accused her of tax fraud.

Informants told PageSix that, for Shakira, Barcelona is proving to be a place of bad memories. Because of that, she is reported to be considering moving to Miami Beach, where she has close family and pals to rally around her and provide her much-needed support.

Ana Lourdes Martinez, a family friend, told The Post that Shakira calls Miami her refuge. "Miami is her home. Her parents live here, her brother lives here, [and] her niece and nephew, too. She doesn't have any family in Spain. It's a different environment from Barcelona," she stated.

Close friends of Shakira, including musician Alejandro Sanz, are allegedly convincing the "Hips Don't Lie" songstress to take her talents to South Beach. Other tipsters suggested that the singer confirmed her desire to relocate to the Sunshine State.

To recall, Shakira and Gerard announced their split in June, following reports that the latter was privately messaging other women and secretly dating Clara Chia Marti for months. Their children – Sasha and Milan – are reportedly staying at their father's bachelor pad in Barcelona as the custody battle between the ex-lovers escalates.

A temporary truce has granted Gerard custody for half of the moment after Shakira took them on a trip to Miami and Mexico. The estranged couple is also predicted to end up contesting over their real estate holdings.

Apart from the shocking split and custody battle, Shakira is also facing tax fraud after allegedly failing to pay a whopping $14.7 million in taxes between 2012 and 2014. Page Six reported there is also the looming threat of a $13.5 million fine, in addition to jail time, if she is found guilty.

However, tattlers claimed Shakira is confident of her innocence but disappointed with the smear campaign. Shakira has always cooperated and abided by the law, demonstrating impeccable conduct as an individual and a taxpayer, and faithfully following the counsel of PriceWaterhouse Coopers, a prestigious and globally recognized tax firm," the singer's PR representative told The Post.

"Unfortunately, the Spanish Tax Office, which loses one out of every two lawsuits with its taxpayers, continues to violate her rights and pursue yet another baseless case. Shakira is confident that her innocence will be proven by the end of the judicial process," it went on.

The "Whenever, Wherever" hitmaker has already paid $17.5 million to the Spanish tax office to settle her obligation. Shakira has yet to comment on the reports saying that she plans to leave Barcelona and transfer to Miami amid the "nightmares" that she is facing right now.