Further detentions in connection with the case of organized VAT crime
The officers of the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau from the Regional Office in Cracow, as part of a joint investigation with the Masovian Customs and Tax Control Office, detained 10 people in Greater Poland Voivodeship, and another suspect was detained with the participation of the Border Guard officers at Warsaw Chopin Airport. The investigation is supervised by the Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Warsaw.
Network of connections
The detainees were responsible for participating in the trade in false VAT invoices, using unreliable invoices and money laundering. The group, operating in the years 2017-2022, consisted of a network of companies dealing basically only with issuing "empty" invoices, which did not document actual economic events and were created solely to reduce public law liabilities and obtain undue VAT refunds.
Empty invoices for 121 million zlotys
Invoices were issued, among others: as documenting alleged trade in steel, construction materials and other non-existent goods, and a number of services that were never performed. According to the evidence collected so far, the total value of invoices issued in the case is not less than 121,000,000 zlotys. The funds derived from this activity were then transferred between numerous bank accounts in order to conceal their criminal origins.
Charges of using unreliable invoices and money laundering
In the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw, the detainees were charged with, among others, using unreliable invoices and money laundering, i.e. under Art. 271a of the Criminal Code and Art. 299 of the Criminal Code. The prosecutor applied non-custodial preventive measures against the suspects, i.e. police supervision, property bail and bans on leaving the country and contacting specific people.
The value of the secured property is over 11 million zlotys
It was another operation in this case. Decisions to present charges were issued against 24 people, and a preventive measure in the form of temporary arrest was applied to 4 people. Non-custodial preventive measures were applied to the remaining suspects, including property bails for the total amount of 810,000 zlotys and police supervision. Funds amounting to approximately 365,000 zlotys were blocked on the suspects' bank accounts.
The total value of the property secured in the entire case for future penalties and fines is approximately 11,500,000 zlotys. Due to the findings of the investigation, KAS officers conducted approximately 100 customs and tax inspections, some of which have already been completed. As a result of the inspection, security decisions were issued for a total amount of approximately 1,600,000 zlotys, and the value of tax corrections is approximately 4,323,000 zlotys. The total value of the loss to the property of the State Treasury in this case is approximately 57,000,000 zlotys.
VAT crime
Some suspects may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than 5 years or 25 years of imprisonment. Due to the developing and dynamic nature of the investigation, the prosecutor's office does not rule out further arrests in this case. Due to the developing and dynamic nature of the investigation, the prosecutor's office does not rule out further arrests in this case.
CBA Press Team
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1-7292
