Millions in fraud in Offenbach: Entrepreneurs in court for fictitious invoices!

Millions in fraud in Offenbach: Entrepreneurs in court for fictitious invoices!

In Offenbach, two entrepreneurs are standing trial on serious allegations that shed light on the issue of tax evasion and money laundering. Amir S. (39) from Offenbach and Resat A. (55) from Maintal are accused of issuing large amounts of fictitious invoices. How op online reported, the proceedings were initiated in 2018 on the basis of a suspected money laundering report from Sparkasse Frankfurt.

The duo is accused of being deeply involved in illegal activities between April 2016 and January 2018 through two service companies and a construction company. While A. is considered the main perpetrator and has admitted undeclared wage payments in his company, S. acts as an accomplice with damages of around two million euros. Withholding social contributions and payroll taxes are the main causes of the allegations.

The background to the accusation

The stated damage results in part from the sale of so-called fictitious invoices that were issued by subcontractors to customer companies. After payment, the invoice amounts were withdrawn in cash and returned minus a commission of 6-8%. Of course, this reflects poorly on the financial practices of those affected. The fact is that the Offenbach service company generated sales of less than ten million euros between January 2017 and July 2018, of which three million were related to A.'s construction company alone.

The high number of cash withdrawals and the lack of written correspondence are clear indicators that led to suspicious activity being reported to the authorities. General practices when dealing with invoices are loud the-law-firm crucial to prevent serious accusations. Invoices whose origin or content is doubtful may not be considered legally valid.

A look at the legal consequences

The consequences of a conviction for tax evasion can be serious and vary from large fines to prison sentences of up to ten years, particularly when large-scale tax fraud is involved. The lawyers of the affected entrepreneurs are faced with the challenge of refuting the evidence and circumstantial evidence that has been collected. A proven strategy in such cases could be not to make any statements during negotiations and to rely on legal support, the experts recommend.

In addition, the serious allegations could also be related to the crime of money laundering. Loud lhp group Tax evasion is increasingly seen as a precursor to money laundering, as illegal flows of money are often laundered into the regular economic and financial circuit. In the case of S. and A., this could lead to penalizing not only the evasion of taxes, but also the earnings that come from the illegal practices.

The process is already in full swing and has so far included eleven days of negotiations, which were scheduled for the beginning of July. It will be exciting to see what further details come to light and what legal consequences the defendants can expect.