Rolexes, cars, and homes thanks to the stationery scam: seizure triggered

Naples – A complex tax evasion scheme designed to eliminate tax debts and disrupt the wholesale stationery market through uncompetitive prices. This is the scenario revealed by investigations by the Naples Provincial Command of the Guardia di Finanza, which culminated in the execution of a precautionary seizure order for a total value of over €12,6 million.

The order, issued by the preliminary investigations judge of the Nola Court at the request of the local Public Prosecutor's Office, affects two joint-stock companies based in Casalnuovo di Napoli and Casavatore, along with their respective legal and de facto directors.

The triggering of controls and risk indicators

The investigation, which involves more than 20 suspects across the country, was triggered by two targeted tax audits conducted by officers from the Naples Economic and Financial Police Unit and the Casalnuovo Company.

The alarm was raised by several accounting anomalies and startling risk indicators: a clear disproportion between active and passive transactions, gross inconsistencies in inventory levels, and, despite multimillion-dollar turnover, a negligible tax liability.

The mechanism of the "shell" companies

By delving into the accounting records, investigators reconstructed the structure of the scam, which began in 2021. At the heart of the fraud was the systematic use of invoices for non-existent transactions issued by shell companies ("shell companies"), lacking any real business structure and registered to front men who were often unaware of their VAT numbers.

Through this mountain of fictitious costs, the Casalnuovo di Napoli company—believed to be the real beneficiary of the scheme—managed to drastically reduce its taxable income and gain credibility with suppliers by offering highly aggressive pricing conditions that were unbeatable for honest competitors.

The map of seized assets

The precautionary measure, executed by the Casalnuovo di Napoli Company, also using the "equivalent" method up to the amount of the proceeds of the alleged crime, led to the freezing of a significant amount of assets: a property with an estimated value of over 250 euros, 11 company and private vehicles, cash, checks, luxury watches, and several bank accounts.

Since this is still a preliminary investigation, all parties involved are presumed innocent: the criminal responsibility of the suspects can only be established if a final conviction is issued.