15 Million Euro Tax Fraud in Luxury Car Importation: 13 Seizures and 33 Investigated

Foggia – An alleged tax fraud of over 15 million euro was discovered by the Guardia di Finanza of Cerignola, who carried out 13 real precautionary measures of preventive seizure – even for equivalent – ​​against the directors of various concessionaires involved.

The measures were issued by the investigating judge of the Court of Foggia at the request of the Public Prosecutor's Office, at the conclusion of a complex investigation into the illegal import of luxury cars from abroad.

The investigation started from a tax audit carried out on a company based in Cerignola, which revealed an alleged fraudulent system based on the issuing of invoices for non-existent operations, the use of fake signatures on documents intended for vehicle registration and counterfeit tax certificates.

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According to the reconstruction by the investigators, the fraud would have been orchestrated through two main schemes:

1. Fictitious invoicing with margin scheme – The original invoices were falsified, making it appear that the vehicles had been purchased under the so-called “margin regime” (art. 36 paragraph 2 of Legislative Decree 41/1995), which provides for VAT exemption.

2. False Documentation from San Marino – Documents apparently issued by a non-existent San Marino company were presented to certify the payment of taxes in that country and thus circumvent Italian tax regulations.

The key role in the fraudulent mechanism would have been played by the Cerignola company, defined as “missing trader”, which would have acted as a fictitious intermediary between foreign suppliers and Italian dealers, formally assuming the VAT obligation without paying any tax. In this way, the dealers – the first actual buyers – could resell the vehicles at prices lower than the market, evading the tax regulations on community trade.

The investigation involved companies and dealerships located in various Italian regions, including Bari, Barletta, Naples, Salerno, Ascoli Piceno, Ancona, Rimini, Fermo and Teramo. Are 33 people reported, among which 22 legal representatives of dealerships, with charges ranging from tax crimes al false in public documents.

The seizures carried out by the Guardia di Finanza concerned real estate, cars, financial assets and company shares, for an overall value still being quantified, but which aims to hit the alleged illicit profit deriving from VAT evasion, estimated at over 4,5 million euro.

The operation represents one of the most significant blows inflicted on the sector of carousel fraud related to the luxury car trade, and confirms the commitment of the Foggia Public Prosecutor's Office and the Guardia di Finanza in the fight against organized tax evasion.