CENTRAL ANTI-CORRUPTION BUREAU always in the interest of Poland Businessmen from the "Invoice Factory" face charges - News

Organized Crime Group Issuing False Invoices

The Central Anti-Corruption Bureau Regional Office in Warsaw is conducting an investigation under the supervision of the Warsaw District Prosecutor's Office. The investigation concerns the activities of an organized crime group that issued and traded fictitious invoices on a large scale.

As part of the criminal scheme known as the "invoice factory," the businessmen issued false VAT invoices between 2019 and 2023, resulting in estimated losses to the State Treasury of at least PLN 15 million.

On February 8, 2024, fulfilling the orders of the Prosecutor, officers from the Warsaw and Wrocław Regional Offices of the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau detained four entrepreneurs – two women and two men – for using false VAT invoices to unlawfully reduce their tax liabilities to the detriment of the State Treasury. The total amount of VAT evaded by the criminal group exceeds PLN 820,000.

The entrepreneurs used false invoices from the construction, advertising, and food industries. The detentions were carried out in the Mazowieckie and Lower Silesian Voivodeships.

CBA officers conducted searches of the suspects' residences, during which they seized evidence in the form of invoices and cash. During one of the searches, they also discovered and seized dried plant material, prompting them to call in officers from the local police station.

The suspects were brought to the Warsaw District Prosecutor's Office, where they were charged under Articles 271a, 56 § 1, and 62 § 2 of the Polish Penal Code.

Preventive Measures Applied in the Investigation

In the case of all suspects, non-custodial preventive measures have been applied in the form of police supervision, bail deposits, and a ban on leaving the country. As a security measure for future penalties, property worth over PLN 340,000 has been seized.

Multi-Threaded Investigation

This is the sixth action carried out in the ongoing investigation. In total, there are 31 suspects in the case, who have faced 69 charges. Currently, three individuals leading the organized crime group from the "invoice factory" are temporary arrested.

CBA Press Team