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Two Slovak citizens imprisoned, confiscation orders of over €20.5 million – second and third convictions in Germany in cross-border VAT evasion case

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In November 2021, six people were arrested in Czechia, Romania and Slovakia on suspicion of forming a criminal organisation. One of these suspects was convicted in April 2022, and this week two more suspects were convicted by the Munich I Regional Court (Landgericht München I).

The members of the criminal organisation controlled a so-called VAT carousel scheme, which involved the repeated circulation of platinum coins through the same companies. As some of these companies did not fulfil their tax obligations, their criminal activities led to an estimated tax loss in Germany of at least €23 million. The core of the criminal activity was located in Hamburg, Chemnitz and Munich (Germany), and the money laundering was primarily organised in Czechia and Slovakia, with links to Romania.

One of the accused, a male Slovak and Czech dual national and the head of the criminal organisation, was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison, and the court made a confiscation order of over €10 million. So far, €1 million has been seized from his bank accounts and in the form of real estate in Slovakia.

The other accused, a female Slovak citizen, was sentenced to four years and three months of imprisonment. In her case, another amount of more than €10 million has been ordered to be confiscated by the court. At this point, €1 million has been seized from her bank accounts and in form of real estate in Slovakia.

Both accused confessed, and will stay in detention until the final judgment.

 

We reported about the first conviction here.

You can find more about this case here.