Grasser charged again: Tax authorities alleged to have been withheld millions
The anti-corruption prosecutor has accused the former Finance Minister and two other people of failing to declare bribes in their tax returns. The estimated damage to the state is just under five million euros.
Grasser charged again: Tax authorities alleged to have been withheld millions
Vienna's anti-corruption prosecutors have filed charges against former Finance Minister Karl-Heinz Grasser and two other suspects with the criminal court. They are accused of concealing income from bribery incidents from the tax authorities.
According to the KURIER, the case involves payments that flowed between 2005 and 2007 in connection with the BUWOG privatisation and the rental of tax offices in Linz's Terminal Tower. The Supreme Court had already established with binding force that approximately ten million euros in illegal payments were involved in these transactions. Grasser had already been sentenced to four years in prison for this.
Now the tax side is coming into focus. The prosecution assumes that the three accused did not declare the sums they received in their income tax returns. In doing so, the state was allegedly damaged by approximately 4.9 million euros. Furthermore, the trio is said to have cooperated in concealing the income.
Two of those affected had attempted to protect themselves through a self-disclosure to the tax authorities. However, the prosecutors do not recognise this as having any exempting effect from punishment, as in their view the circumstances were not properly disclosed.
Austrian law provides for tax obligations even for unlawfully obtained funds. Anyone who accepts bribes must report them to the tax office. Otherwise, in addition to the bribery offence, there are consequences for tax evasion. The possible fine can reach twice the amount owed – in this case up to 9.8 million euros. Additionally, a prison sentence of up to two years is conceivable.
The charges were brought with the approval of the Chief Public Prosecutor and the Justice Ministry. The defence is examining legal objections and rejects the allegations.
Source: Kurier