Investigation Admiral 2.0: Five individuals convicted of €1.13 million tax evasion

(Luxembourg, 29 September 2026) – Five individuals have been convicted of tax evasion committed in an organised group by the Riga City Court (Latvia), following an investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Riga. 

These are the most recent convictions in the Admiral 2.0 case, which stems from our Admiral flagship investigation and targets large-scale organised tax evasion and money laundering. Previously, three individuals had also been convicted in Latvia, following plea. The conduct of the individuals now convicted have caused damage to the state budgets of France and Germany amounting to €1.13 million.  

The court approved the plea agreements reached with the accused, covering their admissions of guilt and the proposed sentences. The five individuals were fined a total of €429 000 and sentenced to probation supervision for periods ranging from three to five years, as well as being banned from engaging in any commercial activity for up to three years.

The Admiral 2.0 investigation concerns  a criminal syndicate that was using the same modus operandi, and partly also the same organisation and infrastructure, as the perpetrators investigated under Admiral, to carry out a massive VAT carousel fraud – a complex criminal scheme that takes advantage of EU rules on cross-border transactions between its Member States, as these are exempt from value-added tax. 

Investigation Admiral 2.0. is ongoing. The EPPO suspects over 400 companies to be part of this complex fraudulent scheme, which is also believed to have been used for laundering proceeds stemming from drug trafficking, different types of cybercrime, and investment fraud.

The EPPO counted on the excellent support of the State Revenue Service Tax and Custom Police, both in Latvia and internationally, for this investigation.

The EPPO is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.