Shakira Sues Former Employees for Defamation, Extortion

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - JANUARY 09: Shakira during the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2011 on January 9, 2012 in Zurich, Switzerland. (Photo by Scott Heavey/Getty Images) (2012 Getty Images)

Shakira’s former employees are giving the star quite a headache these days.

Colombian daily El Espectador says that Shakira is taking legal action against former employees who have threatened to divulge details of her private life unless she pays them half a million dollars.

The publication says that the threats and blackmail toward Shakira come after the “Waka Waka” singer fired the employees for undisclosed reasons.

El Espectador says that Shakira’s lawyers will be releasing a statement about the lawsuit against her former staff members for extortion and defamation.

The Colombian publication says the two employees worked for Shakira for over 11 years. They are claiming that Shakira fired them after they refused to prepare her a plate of food in the middle of the night.

Both allege they were fired because they refused to sign a document stating that they were no longer employed by the singer.

Despite the allegations against Shakira, one of her attorneys tells El Espectador that “at the bottom of this issue there are other interests.”

“There is clear evidence of intentions to defame and cause harm to my client by taking advantage of her public persona and spotless personal reputation in exchange for money,” Ezequiel A. Camerini told El Espectador.

Camerini also said that Shakira takes very good care of her employees “including caring for their family members” and that those who currently work for Shakira can vouch for the star.

“What the employees allege describe in the lawsuit is completely false,” Camerini added.