Montserrat Caballé to serve six months in prison

82-year-old opera diva Montserrat Caballé will spend six months in prison. A Spanish court sentenced the performer to a custodial term for tax evasion.

According to official documents, Caballé resided in Andorra and concluded all performance contracts through an Andorran company. Her actual place of residence, however, was Barcelona. The neighbouring country was used by the singer to evade taxes.

In addition to incarceration, the opera singer is required to pay a fine of €255,000 to the state. Caballé has also been barred from receiving any subsidies or benefits for a period of one and a half years.

Montserrat Caballé herself did not attend the court hearing; her lawyers represented her interests instead. The singer was feeling unwell and gave her testimony via video conference, during which she fully admitted her guilt.