
Colombian pop star
Shakira is being sued for $100m (£62.4m) by a former boyfriend who acted
as her business manager for six years.
Antonio de la Rua claims he was the "principal architect" of a business plan that turned the singer into a global superstar.
He is seeking to "recover his share of past and future partnership profits," according to papers
filed in New York.
In a separate case, Shakira is suing de la Rua for misappropriation of funds.
Her legal case, filed in the Bahamas in October, accuses him
of paying himself an unauthorised bonus and using funds from their
business partnership to pay personal expenses.
Mr De la Rua denies the allegations.
Sex appeal
His legal papers, however, provide a rare insight into the intricacies of sustaining a global pop career.
He explains how the couple met in 2000, shortly after he had
managed his father Fernando's successful campaign to become president of
Argentina.
As they became romantically involved, he frequently joined
her on her first world tour - The Tour Of The Mongoose. He describes
how, as it came to a close, the star was "shocked" to learn the tour had
"actually lost money".
The news caused the performer "extreme emotional distress and
interfered with her ability to sleep and perform". She sacked her
manager, and asked Mr De la Rua to take over her business affairs.
The legal case says Hips Don't Lie was a "second shot" at securing a hit song
They agreed he would be entitled to a share of the profits from
her music and business ventures "in exchange for the contribution of
his business and marketing skills, knowledge and expertise".
But his court papers acknowledge that the partnership, which began in 2004, was based only on an "oral agreement".
Mr De la Rua goes on to describe how he brokered a $300m deal
with concert promoters Live Nation and a "lucrative" deal for a range
of perfumes.
He was also instrumental in persuading a reluctant Shakira to
record the song Hips Don't Lie in order to reverse flagging sales of
her Oral Fixation Vol. 2 album. The song went on to top the charts in
more than 25 countries.
The court papers describe a similar situation in 2009, when the first single from Shakira's She Wolf album "bombed".
He claims to have brokered a deal for Shakira to record the
official World Cup song Waka Waka, the success of which ensured a
profitable world tour which "saved the relationship" with Live Nation.
The legal papers add: "The combination of de la Rua's
business and marketing talents with defendant's artistic talents, beauty
and sex appeal succeeded in propelling the value of the partnership far
beyond anything either had previously achieved or believed possible."
When the couple broke up in 2010, Shakira announced the news
on her website, but stressed "we continue to be partners in our business
and professional lives".
But a year later, in October 2011, the pop star instructed
her lawyer to "terminate de la Rua, as if he were a mere employee," the
legal papers claim.
Mr De la Rua said he has not received his share of the
profits since then, and is seeking a payment of "not less than $100m" at
trial.
At the time of writing, Shakira's representatives had not responded to the complaint.
The star is currently expecting her first child with
footballer Gerard Pique, who plays for FC Barcelona. She has also signed
up as a coach for the next series of The Voice in the US.