Organised crime group arrested in Sofia for 3M leva tax fraud
An investigation by anti-organised crime police and the National Revenue Agency has led to the arrest of a group in Sofia that allegedly committed tax fraud that deprived state coffers of about three million leva (about 1.5 million euro), Bulgaria’s Interior Ministry said on October 18 2012.
The Special Public Prosecutor was preparing pre-trial proceedings against the organised crime group, including the three main players, the Interior Ministry said.
The group allegedly used a familiar scheme involving using the identity documents of poor people to set up companies and then producing fake documentation to get tax deductions. One of three main players already had a criminal record, the ministry said. Also arrested were eight “collaborators” in the scheme, most of whom had criminal records, according to the ministry.
Officers from the National Directorate for Combating Organised Crime, working with National Revenue Agency representatives, searched 16 addresses in Sofia, including offices and homes, and three cars. Investigators confiscated a large amount of accounting documents, computer records, stamps, mobile phones, SIM cards and other evidence, the ministry said.
