Filenews 11 June 2024 - by Eleftheria Paizanou
A tight net, by the Department of Taxation, has caught 562 large taxpayers, who strategically did not pay taxes of tens of millions of euros.
These taxpayers, as "F" is informed, concealed millions of euros in income from the tax in order to avoid paying taxes of hundreds of thousands of euros.
These taxpayers are considered high-risk and because of their activities they came under the microscope of the officers of the Large Taxpayers Unit. During the audits, the taxpayers found that these taxpayers had debts for income tax, capital gains tax, special defence levy and VAT.
The Tax Department proceeded with the imposition of a tax of €63.4 million to 562 taxpayers.
Big fish
In detail, according to data obtained by "F", during the audits carried out in 2023 by officers of the Large Taxpayers Unit, 472 taxpayers who owed direct taxation and on whom taxes amounting to €61.4 million were imposed.
At the same time, another 92 taxpayers, who had VAT debts, were assessed taxes amounting to €2 million. From the audits made to large taxpayers in one year, the tax assessments imposed by the Tax Department have doubled. Specifically, in 2022, taxes amounting to €32.9 million were imposed. to 413 taxpayers, compared to €63.4 million. in 2023.
50 tax fraud cases
In addition to checks on large taxpayers, other categories of taxpayers have also been sifted. Specifically, tax audits were carried out individually for one or more types of taxes, or they were carried out for one or more tax years/periods at the same time, depending on the case and the picture presented by the taxpayer and the findings of the department.
Specifically, 50 cases of tax fraud were identified, in which taxes amounting to €1.8 million were established. In addition to the audits carried out by the Tax Fraud Investigation Unit, audit visits are carried out in cooperation with the district offices on indirect taxation issues. For 2023, in cooperation with the district offices, 4 audits were carried out, resulting in a tax of €945,361 and a €447,500 compromise fine.
For the year 2022, 3 audits were carried out, resulting in a tax amount of €228,292. In addition, 3,286 audits were carried out on legal and natural persons for VAT cases, in which taxes amounting to €18.2 million were assessed. 1,389 capital statements were also examined, through which a tax of €4.6 million was assessed. At the same time, 22,226 other accounts on which taxes of €79.5 million were imposed were examined.
VAT receipts 5%
As part of its campaign, the Tax Department conducted from January to August 2023 for the reduced VAT on the purchase or construction of a main residence, 442 on-the-spot checks were carried out, during which 215 persons were identified, of which 55 were found not to be the eligible applicants and the corresponding amount required to be paid amounts to €2.4 million. At the same time, during the same period, many property owners voluntarily went to the Department, who benefited from 5% VAT when they were not entitled, paying an additional tax of €8 million.
This campaign started in October 2022 and until August 2023 and 659 on-the-spot checks were carried out where an additional 14% VAT amount of €36.8 million was imposed. It is worth noting that an amount of €10.8 million. was imposed on taxpayers when they went to the Department themselves, essentially stating that they violated the law.
It should be noted that the Department has launched a new campaign, during which during the summer months it will try to identify property owners who have paid only 5% VAT and instead of using them as a permanent residence, rent them through Airbnb and Booking.
