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Last week, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) exposed what is believed to be the biggest VAT fraud ever investigated in the EU. With the help of Europol and more than 30 national law enforcement partners, the EPPO was able to connect the dots between a company in Portugal and close to 90

In November 2021, six people were arrested in Czechia, Romania and Slovakia on suspicion of forming a criminal organisation and evading taxes. So far, five of the suspects have already been convicted, and recently, the fourth and fifth suspects were sentenced to over three years of imprisonment, with the court ordering confiscations of over €10 000 for each convict.

In an investigation led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), the Tax Authority in Portugal yesterday executed 21 searches ordered by a judge in the cities of Aveiro, Porto and Lisbon, and arrested three suspects, in an operation code-named ‘Gasosa’.

An investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Munich has led to the discovery of a VAT carousel fraud scheme involving 21 suspects, with activities in Germany, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Sweden and the UK. Two of the suspects, who were responsible for organising the paperwork of the criminal activity, are based in Romania and one of them was arrested yesterday. Searches were simultaneously carried out and data, e-mails, chats and paperwork were successfully collected. 

On 30 November 2022, in an investigation led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), police in Czechia – the Regional Directorate of the Olomouc Region – carried out 15 home searches and searches of non-residential premises, on suspicion of criminal offences against the EU’s financial interests, including subsidy fraud and illegal advantage in public procurement.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Vilnius is leading the pre-trial investigation related to the lack of transparency of an EU-funded public procurement project worth €1.7 million. The Special Investigation Service (Specialiųjų tyrimų tarnyba –STT) is carrying out the investigation, and a notification of suspicion to the Mayor of Šiauliai City Municipality was served today.

Since July 2021, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) has been running a preliminary investigation into a case of misappropriation of public funds, including aiding and concealment. These acts are thought to have been committed in 2018 and 2019, and relate to the suspected fictitious employment of a European Parliamentary Assistant.

Today, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, in cooperation with law enforcement agencies of 14 EU Member States, carried out simultaneous investigative measures, including more than 200 searches, in relation to a complex VAT fraud scheme based on the sale of popular electronic goods.

On 24 November, following a request by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) executed a judicial seizure decree to freeze the bank accounts of an Italian company suspected of fraud involving EU and regional funds of over €70 000.