Gillian Keller
THE purchase of a home in Mallorca and another in Barcelona have led to the conviction of one of Mallorca’s most famous artists.
Domingo Zapata – who has painted Lady Gaga, Scarlett Johansson and Eva Herzigova – used money from Panama and Switzerland to buy the ritzy properties, while living in America.
Dubbed the ‘Spanish Andy Warhol’, he has now pleaded guilty to avoiding tax while buying the stunning home in Son Vida for €2.6m and the property in Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes in Barcelona, for an undisclosed sum.
He has now been ordered to pay €1.5 million and has been handed a year-and-a-half suspended sentence by a Palma courts for tax fraud, committed in 2006 and 2007.
It comes after Hacienda started to investigate his incredible financial affairs, while earning millions living in New York.
It emerged that Zapata, who has sold paintings to George Soros, Johnny Depp and Leonardo de Caprio, hid large amounts of money in offshore accounts.
The Palma-born artist later set up a shell company in Palma through which to launder the money.
The company La Niña Corporación Inmobiliaria 2006 SL acquired both properties, as well as various cars, including a Ferrari F430 for €223,000 and a Land Rover for €106,000.
Zapata, who was originally facing a €5m fine and seven years in prison, avoided prison by pleading guilty to all offences and showing contritition.
The artist once sold €76,000 worth of art to a New York pizzaria and asked for the payment to made in pizzas to local homeless shelters.
He has since sold the home in Son Vida.
