Shakira's ex sues for $100 million

Shakira’s former manager and boyfriend is suing the Latin pop star for money he feels he’s owed for helping her crossover into America.

Antonio de la Rua is an Argentinian businessman who Shakira met in 2000 while serving as campaign manager for his father’s bid to become president of Argentina. The two began dating soon after, but in 2011, a year after breaking up, the two parted ways professionally. Now de la Rua alleges that he is entitled to $100 million of the money she made after they separated, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

In documents filed on April in California Superior Court, de la Rua says Shakira’s, (whose really name is Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll) rise “was not simply luck,” but “the result of a hard-fought battle to conquer the music world that Mebarak and de la Rua fought together as business partners.”

He also notes that he was “the principal architect” of Shakira’s success beyond the Latin American market and feels he helped propel her career even after they stopped dating. Even though their romantic relationship ended in 2011, de la Rua states that his professional responsibility to the singer didn’t change, citing an email Shakira sent in to the CEO of Live Nation, Michael Rapino, that read, “[the break-up] only involves the romantic aspect of our relationship. His [de la Rua’s] word is mine … We continue to be partners in all of our projects.”

In the documents, de la Rua estimates that Shakira’s 10-year deal with Live Nation alone, which she signed in 2008, is worth $300 million. He also notes other lucrative deals the singer signed like a $9 million sponsorship deal with mobile network, Telefonica and perfume deal with Puig that guaranteed 2 million GBP every year for ten years.

Shakira has yet to comment on the lawsuit

- The Times