Thessaloniki tax evasion ring: 16 accused before investigating magistrate, damage exceeds €206 million
The arrested individuals in the tax evasion ring in Thessaloniki are being brought before the investigating magistrate. The damage to the state exceeds €206 million.
Thessaloniki tax evasion ring: Footballers, basketball player and public figures on accused list
The first arrested members of the tax evasion ring uncovered in Thessaloniki are appearing before the investigating magistrate today, according to In.gr. By Thursday, all 16 people held in custody are expected to have given statements.
Among those arrested are two businessmen, accountants, a lawyer and former actor and model Erricos Petilon, who will open the series of statements. Two other individuals allegedly involved in the case remain under investigation by authorities.
Straw men, fictitious hirings and the dead on registries
According to investigation findings, the criminal organisation used fictitious administrators — so-called "straw men" — to avoid paying taxes and insurance contributions. The ring recruited men and women with serious financial problems, low-wage employees, seriously ill individuals and even deceased people. Accountants and lawyers took on "management" roles, processing fictitious hirings and feeding the "reservoir" of front persons.
The damage to the Greek state is estimated to exceed €206 million. The focus of the operation was catering and nightlife entertainment businesses in Thessaloniki.
Same shops, different companies
A characteristic feature of the method was that the shops underwent no visible change in appearance or equipment, despite changes in their corporate management. A file was found on a computer — titled with the name of an animated character that refers to a well-known shop in the Ladádika area, as reported by ERT — with detailed recording of the equipment. According to AADE inspectors, the equipment was transferred to the next company that replaced the indebted one, so that the change would not be noticed by customers and visitors.
A second digital file contained 161 tax identification numbers along with telephone numbers. Inspectors established that the telephone numbers did not correspond to the tax identification numbers of the companies, but were answered by the actual owners and managers of the shops.
A crucial role in the investigation was also played by the detection of common email addresses. At least 250 of the companies involved — that is, one in four — used the same email address or variations of it for their communications with the Greek state.
Athletes on the list of 1,283 accused
From the case file evidence, it emerges that the list of a total of 1,283 accused persons includes, apart from well-known Northern Greek businessmen, two footballers and one basketball player. The nature of their involvement is not clarified, at least in the referral to the prosecutor.
These are former footballers Pantelis Kafes — a member of the Greece squad at the golden Euro 2004 — Spyros Vallas and Petros Kanakoudis, as well as former international basketball player Panagiotis Liadelli.
Accused accountant hospitalised under guard
One of those arrested, an accountant who remains in custody, was admitted to a Thessaloniki hospital yesterday. His lawyer stated from the Courts building: "I received information moments ago that one of my three detained clients was admitted to hospital yesterday and unfortunately his condition is not good". This particular accused was initially scheduled to open the series of statements first.
Petilon appears in his place, who according to investigation evidence appears as administrator in eight companies with total debts approaching €596,000. He is reported to be willing to explain the way he was approached, the individuals who included him in the corporate structures and the fees he received.
Source: In.gr