- Large-scale Tax Evasion Confession: Auto Dealer Owns Up
In the Düsseldorf trial concerning accused tax scams worth 53 million euros, all involved automobile dealers have confessed to their crimes. This was after a pre-trial meeting where the parties consented to sentences ranging between two to six and a half years in prison for the defendants.
The trial revolves around the defendants, aged 36 to 51, accused in a 200-page indictment from the European Public Prosecutor's Office. They are alleged to have dodged VAT using sham and mail-drop businesses over an extended period. Four men from Neuss, Krefeld, Erkrath, and Haan, alongside a woman from Italy, are implicated in this large-scale, organized tax avoidance scheme.
Operation "Huracán"
The automobile dealers were under investigation by authorities in early 2021 after a tip-off from the Italian tax authority. The investigation was later handed over to European prosecutors in Cologne.
Operating under the name "Huracán," which references a Lamborghini model, investigations into international car trading and tax fraud continued for over two years, involving over 10,000 vehicles.
On June 14, 2023, the authorities concluded their operations. Raids were executed in seven countries, including Germany, Italy, Spain, and Hungary. This led to the confiscation of numerous vehicles and properties. Over 2,000 personnel from customs and police were involved, as reported by the Essen main customs office. A verdict could potentially be announced in October, the presiding judge said.
The defendants are currently facing a criminal trial for their involvement in the tax scams, as outlined in the indictment. Regardless of the confessions made during the trial, sentences will be handed down based on the agreed-upon ranges determined during the pre-trial meeting.
