tax investigation - Investigators are tracking 20 million Euro in evaded taxes.
Thuringia's Tax Fraud Investigators generated approximately 20.5 million Euro extra for the state treasury last year. However, this represented a significant decrease in additional revenues compared to the previous year, with roughly 29.3 million Euro recovered in 2022 compared to nearly 20 million Euro in 2021. The tax revenue surplus is subject to normal fluctuations.
Thuringia's Tax Fraud Investigators are headquartered centrally in the Finance Departments in Gera and Gotha. The 71 employees are tasked with discovering criminal and regulatory offenses. In 2023, investigators examined 283 cases and initiated 154 criminal proceedings. These proceedings are led by prosecutors or the Penalty and Legal Affairs Departments of the financial authorities.
Courts imposed prison sentences totaling 24 years and 9 months on tax evaders in the previous year. Additionally, fines, penalties, and settlements amounting to approximately one million Euro were imposed.
IT Specialists Sought
Finance Minister Heike Taubert (SPD) considers Thuringia's Tax Fraud Investigations units well-equipped in general. However, she acknowledged that filling vacant IT specialist positions is becoming increasingly challenging. Furthermore, cross-border cases, particularly those related to VAT fraud, are on the rise.
The work of Tax Fraud Investigators has changed, it was stated. A significant portion of the work involved examining paper files and evaluating documents just a few years ago. However, with the increasing digitalization, many fraud schemes now occur on the internet. Therefore, the necessary technology and knowledge are required.
New Approaches to Recruiting Specialists
For new IT Tax Fraud Investigator positions, candidates with a completed information technology bachelor's or master's degree or a degree in computer science or business information technology will be considered, it was stated. Through internships and presentations, for example, at the University of Mittweida, potential candidates will be specifically targeted and future IT specialists will be recruited.
The headquarter for Thuringia's Tax Fraud Investigators is situated in both Gera and Gotha, within their Finance Departments.Thuringia's Landesbank has shown interest in supporting the Tax Fraud Investigators by providing necessary technological resources.Despite the decrease in revenue, the Tax Fraud Investigators in Erfurt managed to generate approximately 20.5 million Euro in extra taxes for Thuringia's finances last year.The shortage of IT specialists is a concern for the Tax Fraud Investigations units in Thuringia, with minister Heike Taubert actively seeking solutions to fill these vacant positions.
