Innsbruck tax officials uncover fraud
Business
Employees of the Austrian tax office, Innsbruck office, have uncovered an international case of fraud: An Austrian entrepreneur had issued invoices for an invented vehicle. Those affected made a self-disclosure.
A EUROPOL report from Croatia in March 2022 drew the attention of employees of the tax office to the international fraud case. The entrepreneur had therefore billed a Croatian company from 2016 to 2021 for the registration of a truck in the amount of around 307,000 euros. Investigations revealed, however, that the existence of the vehicle was fictitious. Those affected made a self-disclosure.
“More and more sophisticated fraud patterns”
“This case, with its international implications and its audacity, shows that fraud knows no geographical or other borders – quite the contrary. In the past few years, we are seeing more and more sophisticated fraud patterns. However, thanks to the excellent work of our colleagues in the Austrian tax office, we are able to recognize corresponding schemes more and more quickly and, thanks to the extremely good international cooperation, we can take quick and tough action,” stated Finance Minister Magnus Brunner and congratulated all colleagues involved on this blow against tax and tax evaders.
Colleagues from Croatia informed the Austrian authorities about the suspicion that the vehicle was fictitious via a so-called “EUROPOL Siena Information Exchange message”. During an unannounced visit to the Austrian taxpayer, all questions were answered plausibly and any documents such as a contract, invoices and proof of payment were also presented.
suspicious confession
One detail that made the employees and tax office staff who were present prick up their ears was the information that the vehicle rented from Croatia was registered in Germany. However, a quick query with the German federal police and the German registration database with the transmitted chassis number showed that the vehicle was not registered here either.
After further questioning, the suspects promptly confessed: the 47-year-old woman admitted that she had also taken other bogus invoices into account as expenses. In the audit period from 2012 to 2020, the income tax was reduced by around 254,000 euros and thus evaded. The case is currently being examined on the legal basis of the Fiscal Penal Act. The entrepreneur is now threatened with high fines for her fraud in addition to the back payments.