Significant financial losses of 50 million euros from tax evasion could lead to imprisonment for up to ten years.
Here's the paraphrased version of the text:
This case was initiated by the European Public Prosecutor's Office, leading to the conviction of three key offenders, ranging in age from 42 to 45, for various tax evasion and document forgery charges related to a criminal organization and business operations. The court handed out ten-year prison sentences to two men, while another criminal received an eight and a half year sentence.
The Economic Criminal Chamber of the Regional Court additionally mandated the seizure of massive funds that were secreted during the commission of the crimes. Furthermore, the chamber condemned the proprietor of a Berlin-based car company implicated in the "VAT carousel" scandal and his staff to prison terms of five years and five months, and two years respectively.
The court determined that the defendants had engaged in cross-border car trading using dummy companies to conceal their illicit relationships. They also exploited specific aspects of the European VAT system, which exempts intra-European trade of goods from VAT charges. subsequently, they expanded their profitable business model to deal in medical masks.
The judgment is yet to be legally binding. The three main defendants remain in pre-trial detention. The chamber already sentenced a former co-defendant notary to a two-year prison term on probation in February for document forgery and office falsehoods.
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- The Public Prosecutor's Office in Berlin brought charges of Value added tax evasion against three Men, who had operated a criminal organization for several years.
- The court ruled that their document forgery activities resulted in financial losses of approximately 50 million Euros, which led to potential prison sentences.
- Two of the men received prison sentences of up to ten years for tax evasion, while the third received a sentence of eight and a half years.
- Tax evasion not only affects the State's budget but also leads to significant damage for society as a whole.
- The '50 million Euro' damage caused by the tax evasion case was a prime reason for the prosecution to take action, as tax evasion is considered a serious crime.
- The court imposed a prison sentence due to the Men's involvement in tax evasion and other illegal activities, and they remained in detention until their appeals process concluded.
- The Public Prosecutor's Office continues to investigate and prosecute cases of tax evasion, which can result in severe penalties, including a prison sentence.