Fraud and tax evasion: arrests in the construction industry
Two suspects were arrested on Thursday in Hesse and Bavaria on suspicion of fraud and tax evasion amounting to millions. According to the public prosecutor's office in Frankfurt and the main customs office in Giessen, the arrests were made in the early hours of the morning under the code name "Tartaros". The allegations are directed against a total of 20 suspects from the construction industry in the Rhine-Main region. A spokeswoman for the main customs office in Giessen said that the customs authorities are expecting losses of more than 5.7 million euros.
According to the police, employees of two construction companies are suspected of having concealed the actual order and employer relationships for construction contracts over a period of years using so-called "service companies" and fictitious invoices. "This is a so-called chain fraud in which black money was generated with fake payments of fictitious invoices in order to pay illegal workers. The perpetrators proceeded in an extremely conspiratorial manner in order to conceal the criminal acts," said the customs spokeswoman.
Those arrested are a 47-year-old and a 28-year-old. They were arrested in Frankfurt and Wörth am Main (Miltenberg district) and brought before a magistrate. Other people have been questioned. According to the public prosecutor's office in Frankfurt, a total of around 330 customs officers executed 23 search warrants issued by the Frankfurt district court. They seized evidence such as computers and cell phones.
The construction industry in the Rhine-Main region continues to face scrutiny, as allegations of crime extend beyond the recent arrests. Despite the ongoing construction projects, it's crucial for companies to maintain transparency in their financial dealings to avoid any future involvement in fraud or tax evasion.
Source: www.dpa.com
