Man arrested and charged for stalking Shakira

MIAMI BEACH, Florida –

A Texas man was arrested this week after he was allegedly seen stalking singer Shakira at her home in Miami Beach.

Daniel John Valtier, 56, of El Paso was arrested on stalking and defrauding charges early Monday morning.

On Monday, intel detectives met with the security director assigned to a celebrity — later identified as the Colombian songstress — who currently resides in Miami Beach. According to the arrest affidavit obtained by CBS News Miami, the security director provided two separate recordings along with “multiple social media posts” originating from Valtier.

One post allegedly described how Valtier was “married” to Shakira and would eventually open a business alongside them. He elaborated, saying that he knew and had a “relationship” with the singer’s children, additionally providing her name and the names of her kids. Valtier allegedly made these posts between Dec. 30, 2023, and Jan. 2, 2024.

According to the affidavit, Valtier also sent packages to Shakira’s home, including wine bottles, chocolates and toys. The singer and her security team immediately confronted Valtier, telling him to refrain from sending gifts and discontinue posting false information concerning Shakira’s personal life. Shakira further informed police that she did not know Valtier and was worried about how he obtained her personal information, the affidavit stated.

On January 3, Shakira’s security director provided a post depicting a business card assigned to the Rodeway Inn in Bonifay, Florida, which alarmed the security team as they learned Valtier lives in Texas and shared on social media that he was coming to the Sunshine State to go to the singer’s home.

Then on Monday around 12:46 a.m., police responded to Shakira’s neighbourhood about an off-duty officer who was out with a person of interest at her property. Upon arrival, police detained the individual — later identified as Valtier — and spoke with the complainant, who stated he was working at the location when he noticed a taxi stop in front of the singer’s home.

He then saw Valtier exit the cab and walked toward the residence’s gate and recognized him, prompting him to call the police for assistance.

Police then spoke with the taxi driver, who said Valtier allegedly didn’t pay the US$70.05 fare. Police then spoke with Valtier, who said he didn’t have the money to pay the driver or did he intend to pay him because someone who was living in Shakira’s home “was supposed to pay for the fare,” the affidavit stated. The officers then confirmed with the cab driver that no such agreement was ever made.

When Valtier eventually agreed to pay for the taxi fare, his card got declined and the driver told police he’d like to press charges against him. He was then subsequently arrested and transported to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

Valtier later appeared in Miami-Dade bond court on Tuesday, where the judge ordered him to stay away from Shakira; however, he told the judge that she was his “wife.” He is currently held in jail on US$100,000 bond.