Miscellaneous – Justice | Avignon: they managed their business “in the black”
Mohamed and Hamid, two auto-entrepreneurs in itinerant trade, joined forces in a common project, by opening in March 2018, a furniture and decoration store in Avignon with a deposit in Sorgues. A business mainly focused on the sale of “Moroccan salons” that they imported from Italy. The two men who shared the costs and profits have been released “forget” declare their case, with the trade register but also with social and tax organizations.
While they were planning to open a second store in the brand village of Miramas, a “denunciation” was sent to the police. Tried on Monday, before the Avignon Criminal Court, Hamid assures that he did not intend to defraud while Mohamed says they did “full of errors” and are undoubtedly “misled in the documents”.
The two partners, however, find it difficult to explain why they cashed in cash and did not keep accounts of this activity. “to hide” who had, however, of course on the street! “There was a lease and a sign but for everything else nothing was done correctly in the creation of this commercial activity” sums up vice-prosecutor Chabaud for whom, in this case, we cannot plead error and good faith. “Especially since when you have to declare to obtain social assistance and the first Covid, they know how to do” observe the public prosecutor by specifying the amounts they have received from the State before claiming against them fines of € 4,000. Me De Brier, counsel for Mohamed, pleads a “incomprehension” defendants who were misguided when they wanted to open this business.
Throughout the procedure, they were transparent. What is the proof that they never wanted to conceal the activity of their store insists the lawyer who pleads the release. In the interests of Hamid, Mehrenberger disputes the intention of fraudster who would have animated his client. This man, overwhelmed by the situation, committed negligence, concedes the lawyer.
After deliberation, the court sentences the two defendants to 120 day fines of € 35.