{"id":42206,"date":"2019-05-07T00:00:48","date_gmt":"2019-05-07T00:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/?p=42206"},"modified":"2020-10-26T16:59:14","modified_gmt":"2020-10-26T15:59:14","slug":"grand-theft-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/en\/top-stories\/2019\/05\/07\/grand-theft-europe\/","title":{"rendered":"Grand Theft Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"42206\" class=\"elementor elementor-42206 elementor-41796\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3d7ea1f5 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3d7ea1f5\" data-element_type=\"section\" id=\"stickyhead\" data-settings=\"{&quot;sticky&quot;:&quot;top&quot;,&quot;sticky_on&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;mobile&quot;],&quot;sticky_offset&quot;:0,&quot;sticky_effects_offset&quot;:0}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5d467e31\" data-id=\"5d467e31\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1ae3b72 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1ae3b72\" data-element_type=\"widget\" id=\"stickyhead-logo\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"345\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/CORRECTIV-logo.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-38690\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/CORRECTIV-logo.png 1400w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/CORRECTIV-logo-768x258.png 768w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/CORRECTIV-logo-1024x345.png 1024w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/CORRECTIV-logo-800x269.png 800w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/CORRECTIV-logo-600x202.png 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/CORRECTIV-logo-400x135.png 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4de37545\" data-id=\"4de37545\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-15b3291c elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"15b3291c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"headerbutton-red\" href=\"\/en\/single-donation?utm_source=flamingo-en-top&utm_medium=flamingo-en-top&utm_campaign=flamingo-en-top&utm_term=flamingo-en-top&utm_content=flamingo-en-top\" target=\"blank\">Donate<\/a>\n<a class=\"headerbutton-blue\" href=\"#about\">About<\/a>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7f65556c elementor-section-height-min-height animated-slow elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle elementor-invisible\" data-id=\"7f65556c\" data-element_type=\"section\" id=\"fullscreenimage\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6d85fa2f\" data-id=\"6d85fa2f\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-79241d90 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"79241d90\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"\/?p=41796\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">READ GERMAN VERSION<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-44bfb5e9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"44bfb5e9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-498070c4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"498070c4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"180\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/GTE-logo-white.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-41250\" alt=\"Grand Theft Europe\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/GTE-logo-white.png 2400w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/GTE-logo-white-768x135.png 768w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/GTE-logo-white-1600x281.png 1600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/GTE-logo-white-1024x180.png 1024w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/GTE-logo-white-800x141.png 800w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/GTE-logo-white-600x106.png 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/GTE-logo-white-400x70.png 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-12998c18 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"12998c18\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-71acb65a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"71acb65a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-4f05ef0b\" data-id=\"4f05ef0b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-145139f5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"145139f5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" id=\"publisher_logo-big\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/gte-desktop-update.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-42360\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/gte-desktop-update.png 2000w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/gte-desktop-update-768x84.png 768w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/gte-desktop-update-1600x176.png 1600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/gte-desktop-update-1024x113.png 1024w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/gte-desktop-update-800x88.png 800w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/gte-desktop-update-600x66.png 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/gte-desktop-update-400x44.png 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-165d0c32 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"165d0c32\" data-element_type=\"widget\" id=\"publisher_logo-small\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"401\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/gte-mobile-update.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-42362\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/gte-mobile-update.png 900w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/gte-mobile-update-768x342.png 768w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/gte-mobile-update-800x356.png 800w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/gte-mobile-update-600x267.png 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/gte-mobile-update-400x178.png 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-23b07108 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"23b07108\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-17c01da9\" data-id=\"17c01da9\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-75f86517 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"75f86517\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Every year fraudsters are robbing Europe\u2019s citizens of 50 billion euros in tax money. A Europe-wide investigation by 63 journalists from 30 countries, coordinated by CORRECTIV.<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-58de88b elementor-share-buttons--view-text elementor-share-buttons--skin-boxed elementor-share-buttons--shape-circle elementor-share-buttons--align-center elementor-share-buttons--color-custom elementor-grid-0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-share-buttons\" data-id=\"58de88b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"share-buttons.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_pocket\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttabindex=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Share on pocket\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn__text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPocket\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_twitter\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttabindex=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Share on twitter\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn__text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTwitter\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_facebook\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttabindex=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Share on facebook\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn__text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFacebook\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_whatsapp\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttabindex=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Share on whatsapp\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn__text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhatsApp\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5fb2a2bb elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5fb2a2bb\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-237b5a4a\" data-id=\"237b5a4a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5b337d3a elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"5b337d3a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<link href=\"https:\/\/correctiv.github.io\/grand-theft-europe-viz\/gte-viz.css\" rel=\"stylesheet\">\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3d9725db elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3d9725db\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-28b3b4a5\" data-id=\"28b3b4a5\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-35251a11 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"35251a11\" data-element_type=\"widget\" id=\"title\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Story<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-34865ded elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"34865ded\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Which version would you like to read?<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b3a0674 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"b3a0674\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\n<div id=\"switch-center\">\n<span style=\"padding-right:15px; font-size:19px; font-weight:700\">Key Findings<\/span>\n<input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"switch\" class=\"switch-checkbox\" checked>\n<label for=\"switch\" id=\"switch-label\" class=\"switch\"><\/label>\n<span style=\"padding-left:15px; font-size:19px; font-weight:700\">Full Story<\/span>\n\n<div id=\"box\" class=\"long\">\n    \t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"section\" data-elementor-id=\"42230\" class=\"elementor elementor-42230\" data-elementor-post-type=\"elementor_library\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c60af29 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"c60af29\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-0129ea0\" data-id=\"0129ea0\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dbf3103 key_findings elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dbf3103\" data-element_type=\"widget\" id=\"key_findings\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul>\n \t<li>It is the largest ongoing tax fraud in Europe: criminal gangs are stealing \u20ac50 billion every year from EU members states, according to the EU commission.<\/li>\n \t<li>The losses are made worse by a lack of cooperation between EU members. Germany in particular is obstructing joint measures in fighting the tax fraud.<\/li>\n \t<li>Fraudsters are now eyeing the market for green power certificates.<\/li>\n \t<li>Islamist networks have used the fraud to finance terror.<\/li>\n \t<li><a id=\"link-fullstory\">CORRECTIV has followed<\/a> in the footsteps of one fraudster who played a major role in a high profile VAT fraud carousel. Our investigation reveals how this type of organized crime works and how governments in Europe struggle to combat it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-84dcb51 elementor--h-position-center elementor--v-position-middle elementor-arrows-position-inside elementor-pagination-position-inside elementor-widget elementor-widget-slides\" data-id=\"84dcb51\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;navigation&quot;:&quot;both&quot;,&quot;infinite&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;transition&quot;:&quot;slide&quot;,&quot;transition_speed&quot;:500}\" data-widget_type=\"slides.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-slides-wrapper elementor-main-swiper swiper-container\" dir=\"ltr\" data-animation=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-wrapper elementor-slides\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-repeater-item-a8bcba7 swiper-slide\"><div class=\"swiper-slide-bg\" role=\"img\"><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide-inner\" ><div class=\"swiper-slide-contents\"><div class=\"elementor-slide-heading\">Read the key findings of the Grand Theft Europe investigation<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"elementor-repeater-item-dffa4c8 swiper-slide\"><div class=\"swiper-slide-bg\" role=\"img\"><\/div><div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide-inner\" ><div class=\"swiper-slide-contents\"><div class=\"elementor-slide-heading\">The cooperation<\/div><div class=\"elementor-slide-description\">63 journalists from 30 countries have met at the CORRECTIV newsroom to investigate the EU\u2019s biggest fraud industry. Fraudsters are stealing \u20ac50 billion per year from EU member states through VAT carousel fraud.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"elementor-repeater-item-8d9d214 swiper-slide\"><div class=\"swiper-slide-bg\" role=\"img\"><\/div><div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide-inner\" ><div class=\"swiper-slide-contents\"><div class=\"elementor-slide-heading\">The fraudsters<\/div><div class=\"elementor-slide-description\">One of the fraudsters is Amir Bahar (name changed). He starts trading mobile phones through several companies at a young age. He fails to pay VAT, making him a multi-millionaire within a few years.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"elementor-repeater-item-aaaa408 swiper-slide\"><div class=\"swiper-slide-bg\" role=\"img\"><\/div><div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide-inner\" ><div class=\"swiper-slide-contents\"><div class=\"elementor-slide-description\">In 2016 seven Deutsche Bank employees in Germany were prosecuted for facilitating carousel fraud. Grand Theft Europe reveals the seeds of the fraud began in the bank\u2019s London branch and one employee was \u201cinstrumental\u201d in continuing trading in Germany when the UK clamped down on the fraud.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"elementor-repeater-item-355929a swiper-slide\"><div class=\"swiper-slide-bg\" role=\"img\"><\/div><div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide-inner\" ><div class=\"swiper-slide-contents\"><div class=\"elementor-slide-description\">The most affected market in Southern Europe is the fuel one. More than 2 billion euros of VAT per year are lost to carousel frauds in this sector. The investigation started with the Swiss-Maltese company Maloa, which brought 400 million liters of fuel in Italy as part of a huge carousel fraud.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"elementor-repeater-item-6da295e swiper-slide\"><div class=\"swiper-slide-bg\" role=\"img\"><\/div><div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide-inner\" ><div class=\"swiper-slide-contents\"><div class=\"elementor-slide-heading\">Terror financing<\/div><div class=\"elementor-slide-description\">The illicit gains are also financing terror networks. In the hunt for Osama bin Laden, US special forces found a laptop in a cave in Pakistan which contained data on companies involved in VAT fraud.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"elementor-repeater-item-b5d39bd swiper-slide\"><div class=\"swiper-slide-bg\" role=\"img\"><\/div><div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide-inner\" ><div class=\"swiper-slide-contents\"><div class=\"elementor-slide-description\">Zakaria Said was an Al-Qaeda commander and part of a terror cell based in the Spanish enclave of Melilla. He was also registered as managing director of Danish company Q Transport. The cell\u2019s companies stole \u20ac22 million from Danish tax coffers, according to estimates.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"elementor-repeater-item-71c1635 swiper-slide\"><div class=\"swiper-slide-bg\" role=\"img\"><\/div><div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide-inner\" ><div class=\"swiper-slide-contents\"><div class=\"elementor-slide-heading\">Complex investigations<\/div><div class=\"elementor-slide-description\">Prosecutors in the southern German town of Augsburg have indicted 116 persons. One official says: \u201cTwo to three prosecutors are working on five VAT fraud schemes, supported by 18 police officers.\u201d The prosecutors\u2019 office is measuring its output no longer in file binders, but in wooden pallets, each carrying 16 boxes filled with folders.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"elementor-repeater-item-17fb97b swiper-slide\"><div class=\"swiper-slide-bg\" role=\"img\"><\/div><div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide-inner\" ><div class=\"swiper-slide-contents\"><div class=\"elementor-slide-heading\">Jobs at stake<\/div><div class=\"elementor-slide-description\">Fraudulent VAT schemes threaten law-abiding companies. For example, the German medium-sized steel firm Filigran was faced with dumping prices by fraudsters active in trading of reinforcing steel.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"elementor-repeater-item-7bea5b7 swiper-slide\"><div class=\"swiper-slide-bg\" role=\"img\"><\/div><div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide-inner\" ><div class=\"swiper-slide-contents\"><div class=\"elementor-slide-description\">At one point, VAT fraudsters controlled half of Poland\u2019s steel trade. J\u00f6rg von Weiler, managing director of Filigran: \u201cWe had no chance against such a force. We were about to close down.\u201d His complaints to politicians were falling on deaf ears.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"elementor-repeater-item-d4d2910 swiper-slide\"><div class=\"swiper-slide-bg\" role=\"img\"><\/div><div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide-inner\" ><div class=\"swiper-slide-contents\"><div class=\"elementor-slide-heading\">The solution?<\/div><div class=\"elementor-slide-description\">Filigran was saved by changes to the way VAT in Poland is levied on reinforcing steel products. Fraudulent schemes can be stopped by such changes in individual sectors and countries but the criminals often move on to other targets.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"elementor-repeater-item-1d41354 swiper-slide\"><div class=\"swiper-slide-bg\" role=\"img\"><\/div><div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide-inner\" ><div class=\"swiper-slide-contents\"><div class=\"elementor-slide-heading\">Everyone for himself<\/div><div class=\"elementor-slide-description\">The UK has reduced its losses from VAT fraud to \u20ac500 million a year. \u201cWe decided to make the UK a hostile environment for VAT fraud,\u201d former British tax investigator Rod Stone explains.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"elementor-repeater-item-ab44f29 swiper-slide\"><div class=\"swiper-slide-bg\" role=\"img\"><\/div><div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide-inner\" ><div class=\"swiper-slide-contents\"><div class=\"elementor-slide-description\">Andrej Babis, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, won't wait for a unanimous agreement of the Member States. He will zero-rate the trade between businesses to stop the VAT carousel fraud. All other EU countries will still need to cope with the problem.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-pagination\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper-button elementor-swiper-button-prev\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"eicon-chevron-left\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-screen-only\">Previous slide<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper-button elementor-swiper-button-next\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"eicon-chevron-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-screen-only\">Next slide<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3f89d8f elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"3f89d8f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5edf86e elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"5edf86e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\n  \n<a href=\"#title\"><div class=\"btn\" id=\"btn-fullstory\" onclick=\"testfunction()\">READ THE FULL STORY<\/div><\/a>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n<div id=\"box\" class=\"short\">\n   \t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"section\" data-elementor-id=\"42227\" class=\"elementor elementor-42227\" data-elementor-post-type=\"elementor_library\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3c2e018 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3c2e018\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c6d24dc\" data-id=\"c6d24dc\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ce4bc56 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ce4bc56\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>The story of Amir B. shows how a clever teenager rose from mobile phone trader to tax carousel lynchpin within just a few years. Following his tracks reveals the structure of the fraud system and the difficulties the authorities face in the war against VAT fraud.<\/strong><\/p><p>Most people don\u2019t realize why it\u2019s so much cheaper to buy mobile phones on eBay rather than from the manufacturer direct. But not Amir Baha (name changed) who understood perfectly when as a 16-year-old schoolboy he started selling mobiles in a city in Germany\u2019s North Rhine Westphalia. \u201cAll around the world people know: if you want to sell mobiles in Germany, they have to come from fraud. Otherwise there\u2019s no money in it.\u201d That\u2019s how he summed it up nearly a decade later to prosecutors in Cologne.<\/p><p>Baha was a smart kid who rose to be a multi-millionaire in the space of a few short years. He was at home at Dubai\u2019s nightclubs and flew first class. He traded mobile phones, game consoles, copper electrodes and even certificates for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. At the time of his arrest, he was running eleven companies registered in other people\u2019s names.<\/p><p>He did not, however, earn his money from mark-ups on these products but from the tax he stole. By moving his merchandise in circles across borders and without paying value-added tax (VAT), he siphoned off millions from state coffers, tricking the authorities into paying him and his partners money they weren\u2019t owed. Opinions differ as to how much exactly. Insiders estimate \u20ac110 million, one prosecutor puts the number at \u20ac60 million, a court verdict against Baha at \u20ac40 million.<\/p><p>In any case, a huge amount for somebody who traded in mobile phones. An employee with an above-average salary of \u20ac5,000 per month would have to work 1,600 years to earn \u20ac100 million. In his crowd, however, Baha was only a medium-sized player.<\/p><p>This kind of crime, dubbed \u2018VAT carousels\u2019 or Missing Trader Intra-Community (MTIC) fraud, is costing Germany from \u20ac5 billion at the low end of estimates to anything up to \u20ac14 billion annually. As Europe\u2019s largest economy, the losses are higher than elsewhere. But VAT fraud carousels are an EU-wide problem with the EU commission fixing the total annual tax loss at around \u20ac50 billion.<\/p><p>In October last year, CORRECTIV published its investigation into the highly complex share deals known as Cum-Ex, which are designed to \u2018reclaim\u2019 tax that was never in fact paid. The Cum-Ex operators require the assistance of teams of highly sophisticated lawyers and bankers to help engineer the trades. By contrast, VAT fraud, some reckon, is Cum-Ex for the masses.<\/p><p>Even teenagers such as Baha can advance from small-time mobile phone seller to multi-millionaire within a couple of years. For the public, the result is the same: billions of tax money ends up in criminals\u2019 pockets rather than going into hospitals, schools and law enforcement.<\/p><p>\u201cWhy people would do any other form of criminality, I don&#8217;t know,\u201d says Rod Stone, a former British tax investigator and one of Europe\u2019s leading authorities on the subject. \u201cWhy do drugs, why do anything else when they can make so much money out of this?\u201d Stone also questions why hardly any European countries are taking the problem seriously despite the enormous losses. VAT fraud is off the political agenda and rarely makes it into the headlines.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-761f633 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"761f633\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/02a_Stone.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-41811\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/02a_Stone.jpg 2362w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/02a_Stone-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/02a_Stone-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/02a_Stone-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/02a_Stone-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/02a_Stone-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/02a_Stone-400x267.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Former tax investigator Rod Stone \u00a9 Ivo Mayr<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-48ff968 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"48ff968\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>To shed light onto this under-reported issue, CORRECTIV created a European media team with journalists from each of the EU\u2019s 28 member states plus Norway and Switzerland: 63 journalists from 30 countries shared documents and information and jointly investigated the question of why European governments appear helpless in the face of this cross-border VAT fraud. In some cases, it is alleged, the illicit proceeds have ended up not only with organized crime but also with Islamist terror groups, according to official documents.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3a7ce8e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3a7ce8e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Get on the list<\/h3><p>We keep you in the loop on our investigations. Subscribe to our newsletter here for free.<\/p><p><a style=\"font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 15px 10px 15px; border: 1px solid; border-color: #ff5064; border-radius: 20px; color: #ff5064;\" href=\"\/en\/newsletter\/\" target=\"blank\">SUBSCRIBE<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-edc8b48 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"edc8b48\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFollowing in the footsteps of Baha \u2013 whose surname is withheld for legal reasons &#8212; and based on official documents we expose the structures of the fraud industry, which some experts say is dominated by few powerful players. We also show how ineffective German law enforcement agencies and politicians have proved in the fight against this form of organized crime.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e70ea24 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"e70ea24\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4279e2b\" data-id=\"4279e2b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2f43578 subtitle elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2f43578\" data-element_type=\"widget\" id=\"subtitle_1\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Troubled<br>Start<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-42a4239 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"42a4239\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4dc0f34\" data-id=\"4dc0f34\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7435f0f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7435f0f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>By his own account, Baha has a troubled childhood. The second youngest of six children, he was just a few months old in 1990 when his mother fled their home in Afghanistan to live with a relative in Germany, escaping both the aftermath of the Soviet occupation and her violent alcoholic husband.<\/p><p>But the father came after them. Once he kidnapped Baha to put pressure on his mother. Another time, Baha\u2019s skin was badly burnt when the husband threw a pot of boiling water at his wife. She didn\u2019t want to involve neighbors or the police. Instead, she changed address several times. Baha attended primary schools in different cities.<\/p><p>Baha\u2019s introduction to organized crime began with small, legal attempts to make money. Those who have met Baha regularly say he is charming and obliging, speaks five languages and has a knack for IT.<\/p><p>Initially, he set up a website that brought in small sums in advertising. He also started selling a few mobile phones each month on the side, to family members, at school and using eBay. Because he was only 16, he asked one of his older sisters to obtain a trading license on his behalf.<\/p><p>He had recently turned 18 years when he registered his first company. This time, he involved another older sister who was studying business administration. He told her it was just a matter of formalities. \u201cI assured her everything would be okay. I meant to stay clean through the company,\u201d he later told prosecutors. He was concerned that nobody would take him seriously as a company director because of his age.<\/p><p>Baha used this firm to buy mobile phones in bulk in Luxembourg and the Netherlands, making between \u20ac50,000 and \u20ac100,000. \u201cStupidly, I didn\u2019t use the money to pay back debt but for setting up the company and expensive cars for the company,\u201d Baha claimed, according to his arrest warrant.<\/p><p>The legal trade in pre-paid phones on eBay didn\u2019t go well. \u201cSo I had to return to my normal ways,\u201d Baha said. Normal being VAT fraud.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e5373a5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e5373a5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Criminals operate across borders. So can journalists.<\/h3><p>CORRECTIV is the first non-profit investigative newsroom in the German-speaking region. We strengthen civil society and democracy through independent and investigative journalism.<br \/>Grand Theft Europe is a Europe-wide media investigation coordinated by CORRECTIV. We connect Europe with our investigations. Enable more such European investigations by donating to us.<\/p><p><a style=\"font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 15px 10px 15px; border: 1px solid; border-color: #ff5064; border-radius: 20px; color: #ff5064;\" href=\"\/en\/single-donation\/\" target=\"blank\">DONATE NOW<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-86321f0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"86321f0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Baha found business partners on online platforms. Every morning he chatted with them and found out which goods were being sold or which were in demand. His status was always \u201cW2B\u201d, or \u201cwaiting to buy.\u201d<\/p><p>Baha put these slogans on his instagram account: \u201cNothing lasts forever \u2013 Except Family.\u201d Baha shows off pictures of Emirates first-class flights, Dubai skyscrapers and fancy dinners in upmarket steak houses. He tags them #LaFamilia or #BrothersReunion. The family was his rock but would later prove to be his Achilles\u2019 heel.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-381369f elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"381369f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-cc09e59\" data-id=\"cc09e59\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1b3c41d subtitle elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1b3c41d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" id=\"subtitle_2\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">A FIRST RED FLAG<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-57ccb32 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"57ccb32\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f004371\" data-id=\"f004371\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c7e900c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c7e900c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>By 2007, investigators were on his case. A Cologne savings bank reported a money laundering red flag in relation to the teenager\u2019s company. The bank thought it suspicious that his company was booking \u20ac1.7 million in revenues immediately after opening an account, part of it from outside Germany and most of it in cash.<\/p><p>The authorities then froze some of his company\u2019s money and Baha found himself in trouble with the suppliers he bought mobile phone from. \u201cI knew I wouldn\u2019t be able to pay back the money legally. I\u2019d already involved my sister and under no circumstances could my mother know all of this,\u201d he told prosecutors.<\/p><p>One of his clients suggested Baha repay his debt using fraudulent invoices and offered money up-front. He dictated prices, and buyers and sellers. Three \u2018businessmen\u2019 visited his sister, demanding their money back and threatening her. His sister \u201cjust kept crying. She didn\u2019t have a clue,\u201d Baha later told prosecutors.<\/p><p>Baha, now 19, was in debt, his sister was being threatened, and investigators were searching his flat and going through his company\u2019s books. Following the money laundering report of the savings bank, he was on the radar of tax investigators in state capital D\u00fcsseldorf.<\/p><p>Yet Baha was unfazed. He decided to commit himself, later saying this was the moment he turned \u201creally criminal\u201d.<\/p><p>He went on a shopping expedition for merchandise in Luxembourg and the Netherlands. \u201cI had to borrow money from the State,\u201d he told prosecutors, using a German expression to refer to tax theft. \u201cI actually did obtain goods from Luxembourg and Holland. Then sold them in Germany and didn\u2019t report the VAT.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-594475f elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"594475f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b74d921\" data-id=\"b74d921\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-09ffc69 subtitle elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"09ffc69\" data-element_type=\"widget\" id=\"subtitle_3\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">A complex system<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-cacb1ee elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"cacb1ee\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7b058a3\" data-id=\"7b058a3\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9fd3225 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9fd3225\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Here is an explanation of how VAT fraud carousels or MTICs work. The same goods are traded several times \u2013 in circles \u2013 using both real and fake companies. Tax authorities only take note when it is too late and the fraudulent companies have long disappeared.<\/p><p>VAT fraud is enabled by a complex system of tax settlements. Only the final transaction is supposed to be subject to VAT. That\u2019s why legitimate traders invoice their buyers with VAT and pass on the tax, which in Germany is 19 percent in most cases, to the tax office. The traders each in turn ask the tax office to reimburse them for the so-called input tax they have paid when buying their own supplies.<\/p><p>There is a basic flaw. The tax office pays out the rebates without further ado or checks. At the same time, the system assumes that the traders will also pay the due taxes to the state within 90 days.<\/p><p>The European VAT system, introduced with the advent of the European Single Market on 1 January 1993, allows for the really lucrative fraud. Its basic idea: goods and services are taxed at different tax rates across EU member states but can be freely traded across borders.<\/p><p>If a trader in Germany buys goods in France there is no VAT due. If the trader sells the product onto another trader in Germany, he adds 19 percent VAT to his price, as do all further buyers.<\/p><p>But under the fraud, the trader who bought in France does not report any sales nor does he pay VAT to the tax office. The tax office will notice this so-called \u2018missing trader\u2019 only many months later. This trader often exists only on paper, in the shape of a letter box and often using a homeless individual as frontman. Or a relative, as in the case of Baha.<\/p><p>The last trader in the chain who sells the goods into to another EU member state is called the \u2018distributor\u2019. In a genuine commercial chain, he is eligible to have the VAT paid in Germany reimbursed. But in a fraudulent scheme, any number of middlemen will act as \u2018buffers\u2019 between the missing trader and the distributor, making the scheme larger and more difficult to detect. They also act to delay the exposure of the fraud.<\/p><p>Companies controlled by Baha were used as such \u2018buffers\u2019. Neither the buffer nor the \u2018missing trader\u2019 need to have their own bank account as much of the trade is flowing through online trading platforms. \u201cProfits are somehow calculated at the end and distributed,\u201d Baha said. His companies were used by several sponsors, sometimes in parallel, sometimes in sequence.<\/p><p>It\u2019s like passing \u2018Go\u2019 on the board game Monopoly. Every time goods enter the country, there\u2019s money flowing in. The VAT fraudsters just need to make sure they \u2018pass Go\u2019 as often and as quickly as they can.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e838d58 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"e838d58\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;youtube_url&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/watch?v=4xSQsXoCJQM&amp;t=1s&quot;,&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;youtube&quot;,&quot;controls&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-wrapper elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-video\"><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-10a1f5d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"10a1f5d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>There are several VAT fraud variants. Some involve non-EU member states, others physical goods such as expensive cars which actually cross borders. Sometimes it\u2019s just on paper, something in which Baha also specialized. More on this later.<\/p><p>In principle, any item on which VAT is payable can be used but in practice, goods that are expensive and take up little space work best, allowing traders to avoid high transport and storage costs.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3d5145b elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"3d5145b\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-513b216\" data-id=\"513b216\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-40fe565 subtitle elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"40fe565\" data-element_type=\"widget\" id=\"subtitle_4\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">At home in the digital age<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6b9bff7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6b9bff7\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-fa24e48\" data-id=\"fa24e48\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-feafe8d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"feafe8d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u201cIt started with foodstuffs such as onions and potatoes,\u201d says Pedro Seixas Felicio, head of the white-collar crime division at Europol. \u201cThen metals, mobile phones and computer chips, later cars. Finally, virtual goods such as pre-paid phone credits and carbon dioxide emission certificates became really popular.\u201d Felicio has been coordinating EU-wide police operations against VAT fraud for four years.<\/p><p>VAT criminals feel right at home in the digital age. When investigators were still trying to unearth VAT fraud using retail goods and luxury cars, people such as Baha had already moved into more exotic trades involving CO2 emission certificates. This one landed Germany with\u20ac800 million of losses in a 12-month period in 2009-10 alone, and other EU member states with an estimated \u20ac7 billion losses in total.<\/p><p>The emission certificates were designed to manage climate-harming industrial emissions following the 1992 Kyoto Protocol. But they were also perfect for fraudsters because they were digital and could be traded at high speed.<\/p><p>\u201cNinety percent of the carbon trade in Europe was fraudulent,\u201d says Stone, the former UK tax investigator. He says that the fraud moves like the waves of the oceans, flowing back and forth between different products and countries.<\/p><p>When Baha caught one of these waves, his business expanded dramatically.<\/p><p>He was still 19 when he first heard about emission certificates. He was attending the huge IT tradeshow Cebit in the German city of Hanover where he had his own stand with a new company. This time, he\u2019d registered the company in the name of a cousin who was honoured that Baha trusted them.<\/p><p>During the tradeshow, Baha happened to meet an Indian businessman calling himself Adam Hicks. A few months later, when they met again in the lobby of a Dubai hotel, \u2018Hicks\u2019 would convince Baha to enter the emission certificates scam.<\/p><p>\u201cThey were talking about a lot of money, really a lot of money,\u201d Baha remembered later. \u201cThat really intrigued me.\u201d Baha\u2019s company was meant to act as a \u2018buffer\u2019, a middleman which made the network more difficult to penetrate. And he would contract with customers such as\u2026 Deutsche Bank. \u201cThe less I knew the better,\u201d Baha said. On advice from Hicks, Baha also set up an account to trade emission certificates on the EU emissions trading system (ETS).<\/p><p>But even as Baha was preparing to enter the emissions racket, every single EU member state was already aware of the issues, says Stone. It was discussed both at Europol and Eurofisc, a European-wide body of tax experts where Stone represented the UK. All member states knew of the new VAT fraud scheme by July 2009 at the latest, Stone says. \u201cAfter that, it was up to individual member states to stop it.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1b2753b elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"1b2753b\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-373a6a9\" data-id=\"373a6a9\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0c6ef04 subtitle elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0c6ef04\" data-element_type=\"widget\" id=\"subtitle_5\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">A Crime Wave<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2aa041b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2aa041b\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-173a7f4\" data-id=\"173a7f4\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-422456f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"422456f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>In Britain, the authorities could see it coming as registrations for emissions trading spiked dramatically, especially from companies that had previously been involved in fraudulent mobile phone trades. The authorities realized that British firms were selling certificates to a France-based trader on a large scale. They warned their French counterparts.<\/p><p>They could only act when the fraudsters were already striking. There is actually a pretty simple tool against VAT fraud. It\u2019s called \u2018reverse charge\u2019, which reverses the tax burden. Under this mechanism\/provision, only the final buyer pays VAT. Trade between companies along the chain is not taxed and so there are no longer any rebates payable.<\/p><p>The EU needs to approve the application of reverse charge. When it granted approval to France, the fraudsters simply moved to the UK. Even though authorities were prepared, the UK still lost \u00a3250 million (\u20ac290 million).<\/p><p>It was obvious that the emissions-based fraud would also move on from the UK at some point even though its next target was less clear. The German government at the time showed little interest. When the first reports reached the federal government from German states, the response was: \u201cCome back when losses exceed \u20ac100 million.\u201d<\/p><p>A storm was brewing, but the sea was still calm. The German government preferred to sit back and observe. As it turned out, Germany was the fraudsters\u2019 next target.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c4b1731 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"c4b1731\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ef5ede7\" data-id=\"ef5ede7\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-05ff125 subtitle elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"05ff125\" data-element_type=\"widget\" id=\"subtitle_6\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">SIN CITY<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-d26a822 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"d26a822\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b329dd6\" data-id=\"b329dd6\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6cebe61 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6cebe61\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>On 21 December, 2009, Baha flew from Dubai to Las Vegas with somebody Adam Hicks, the Dubai-based Indian \u2018businessman\u2019, had introduced him to. This mysterious individual was supposedly one of the masterminds of the emission certificates-based VAT fraud. While the plane was spewing carbon into the atmosphere, Mr X was speaking non-stop on his satellite phone. \u201cHe was in a good mood and said he had sold emission certificates during the flight like never before. Several millions,\u201d Baha told prosecutors.<\/p><p>The two spent a relaxing few days in Las Vegas, burning through between \u20ac100,000 and \u20ac200,000 a day on a 900-square-foot suite at the five-star Wynn Casino and Resort with a butler, \u201c24-hour limousine service and two female companions\u201c. \u201cWe had a great time,\u201d Baha recalled.<\/p><p>They didn\u2019t talk much business. Only that Baha was to use yet another company he\u2019d created, as a \u2018buffer\u2019. And he needn\u2019t worry. He\u2019d be well rewarded.<\/p><p>Baha realized only much later that his share of the scheme profits was a mere 0.1 percent, or so he claimed. He said that the \u2018missing trader\u2019 and the buffers rarely get more than 0.3 percent. The authorities disagree. One insider say that in the case of Baha, a cut of one percent, or ten times as much as he claims to have earned, is more realistic.<\/p><p>Baha now had different plans. \u201cI wanted to start something new again. But something clean, this time. With my family. You can trust your family,\u201d he said. He refers to the traditional mobile phone trade on eBay. Another jobless cousin living in Germany acted as his front.<\/p><p>Baha himself, however, had relocated to the United States and Dubai. Now 20, he feared that German tax investigators might obtain an arrest warrant against him. He started using cover names on his business trips to Europe, such as Kevin Ahmadi or even George Soros and Warren Buffet. As ridiculous as these pseudonyms might sound, when used in emails or chat messages they were extremely effective in masking his activities and making investigators\u2019 lives more difficult.<\/p><p>VAT fraud based on emission certificates involved not only mobile phone traders such as Baha but also employees at the mighty Deutsche Bank. Forming part of the cross-border \u2018trading\u2019 chain, branches of Deutsche bought certificates at below market price from dubious firms and then sold them on to \u2018traders\u2019 in other EU member states. Deutsche then had the VAT \u2018reimbursed\u2019 by the German tax office.<\/p><p>\u201cI&#8217;d been out visiting all the banks that had been involved and given them a full rundown on what had happened,\u201d UK-tax expert Stone says, recalling a 2009 tour of banks.<\/p><p>But when Deutsche entered the trade on a large scale it paid no more attention to the fraud risks than the German government. After Stone\u2019s visit, it merely halted the emissions trading at its London operations and transferred it to its Frankfurt headquarters.<\/p><p>Seven Frankfurt-based executives were put on trial in 2016. One of them was jailed for three years while the others received suspended sentences. Years later, in 2018, Deutsche paid back \u20ac220 million to the German state.<\/p><p>Once the wave hit, Germany finally applied to Brussels for the use of reverse charge, which came into effect only in July 2010. Other states such as the UK introduced reverse charge and applied for permission at the EU retrospectively.<\/p><p>Germany had allowed Baha and his confederates to plunder the German tax coffers for a full nine months when divine retribution struck.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-9c99bb7 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"9c99bb7\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6b2ded9\" data-id=\"6b2ded9\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5764234 subtitle elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"5764234\" data-element_type=\"widget\" id=\"subtitle_7\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Wrath of Odin<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-cc6f83a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"cc6f83a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e6306bb\" data-id=\"e6306bb\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b225193 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b225193\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Frankfurt prosecutors had named their Operation Odin after the ancient German god of war. They gathered 4,355 binders of evidence and wire-tapped 12,000 phone calls by the time 1,500 officers raided 500 companies across six jurisdictions: Denmark, the United Kingdom, Cyprus, Dubai, Hong Kong, and Germany on 28 April, 2010.<\/p><p>Meanwhile, other investigators had wire-tapped Baha\u2019s phonecalls. Although he was one of 200 suspects and his name was on one of 14 arrest warrants, his residence in Dubai and the US seemingly put beyond the reach of German prosecutors.<\/p><p>But when his older sister was arrested, Baha contacted prosecutors in Cologne through a lawyer. He then sought to exonerate his sister via Skype and put down\u20ac450,000 for her bail. Prosecutors were interested less in Baha and his sister than in the masterminds behind the fraud. But talking about the masterminds was dangerous.<\/p><p>Baha refused to enter into a witness protection programme: it covered only two relatives but his family is much larger. He agreed to make an anonymous statement, but communication with prosecutors was difficult. His \u2018superiors\u2019 had allocated him a minder, he said. Baha could use Skype only when the minder was asleep.<\/p><p>Prosecutors learnt from Baha that the fraudsters had switched to the power and gas, and copper markets, now that the fraud using CO2 certificates had been stopped. He said that the fraudsters\u2019 daily turnover on the power and gas market was \u20ac20 million, resulting in \u20ac3.2 million of tax \u2018rebates\u2019.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e15462c elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"e15462c\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-df5e9e4\" data-id=\"df5e9e4\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fc60838 subtitle elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"fc60838\" data-element_type=\"widget\" id=\"subtitle_9\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Europe:<br> a hamstrung response<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c7b4326 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"c7b4326\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-de639c5\" data-id=\"de639c5\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1f93e00 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1f93e00\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u201cWe\u2019re talking about top criminals,\u201d says Pedro Felicio of Europol. \u201cThey\u2019re known. Most law enforcement agencies in Europe know who they are.\u201d But they\u2019re out of reach in tax havens like Dubai which show little interest in where their residents\u2019 funds come from. And they don\u2019t extradite to other countries.<\/p><p>The lack of political will in most EU member states also makes life hard for VAT fraud investigators. Inter-agency rivalry between law enforcement bodies and mistrust between member states outweigh the multi-billion losses, it appears.<\/p><p>Heinz Zourek has witnessed this first hand. Until 2015, the Austrian national was the EU\u2019s top-ranking tax official. His failure to introduce a European-wide VAT form, he says, is his biggest regret from his time in office. \u201cI was naive to think that would be possible.\u201d He proposed 20 entry fields. Member states had other ideas, their proposals ranged from nine to up to 140 entry fields. Germany ruled out any changes to its own form altogether.<\/p><p>Member states\u2019 tax offices are deeply mistrustful of each other, says Zourek. \u201cThe system is working well from one\u2019s own perspective so any attempt at interference from outside is seen as an irritation.\u201d<\/p><p>That\u2019s why most experts think a proposed solution drafted in Brussels is already dead in the water. Under the so-called \u2018final VAT system\u2019, trade between member states would be taxed. VAT would only be levied in the country where the final transaction in the chain occurs.<\/p><p>It sounds simple but there\u2019s at least one catch. When a German company sells a product in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian state would have to pass on the VAT to Germany. \u201cApparently German authorities prefer not to levy tax rather than trust their Bulgarian counterparts,\u201d says Zourek. German states protested vigorously when the proposal was made in 2018.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-97b523e elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"97b523e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/stone_interview.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-41892\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/stone_interview.jpg 1575w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/stone_interview-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/stone_interview-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/stone_interview-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/stone_interview-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/stone_interview-400x267.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Former tax investigator Rod Stone \u00a9 Ivo Mayr<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d13de6e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d13de6e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The Czech Republic is a big victim of VAT fraud carousels and about the only EU member state that has put combatting the fraud on its political agenda. It has convinced Brussels to allow it levy all VAT using the reverse charge mechanism from 2020. But experts fear the fraudsters will simply adapt. When a study group set up by two German states looked at the reverse charge method, it concluded it would reduce but not eliminate the fraud.<\/p><p>Rod Stone, the British expert, says that only a standard VAT rate across the entire EU would completely solve the problem. In effect, the EU would have to be a federal state with harmonized tax legislation where Brussels levied all tax and distributed it across Europe. It is a vision that is not exactly popular with the European member states\u2019 electorates.<\/p><p>The United Kingdom has shown, however, that it is possible to greatly curtail the fraud at national level, from \u00a33.5 billion (\u20ac4 billion) before 2006 to around \u00a3500 million just three years later.<\/p><p>\u201cWorking in real time and creating a hostile environment are two things that work, from my experience,\u201d says Stone, a conclusion he came to after 40 years as a tax investigator.<\/p><p>This strategy includes legislation that permits tax investigators to inspect offices of suspicious companies at any time day or night; immediate criminal prosecution in promising cases; asset freezing; and heavy punishments. Organized tax fraud in the UK is punishable with life-sentences.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-be4370d elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"be4370d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c66f56f\" data-id=\"c66f56f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-31f56e9 subtitle elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"31f56e9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" id=\"subtitle_10\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Germany: <br>uniquely vulnerable<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-61cc7d6 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"61cc7d6\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-da0e81d\" data-id=\"da0e81d\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0e7b596 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0e7b596\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>By comparison, Europe\u2019s largest economy Germany is not up to speed. Three things ensure that VAT fraud is booming: the federal structure of the German state, tax secrecy and a lack of political interest.<\/p><p>Germany\u2019s 16 states are responsible for levying VAT and investigating tax fraudsters. But neither prosecutors nor tax offices coordinate across state boundaries. Nor can German states directly ask counterparts in other EU member states for information. They have to go through the federal government and data protection officers of multiple agencies, which can take months.<\/p><p>The EU would like to accelerate criminal prosecutions but Germany is applying the brakes. EU member states are already exchanging information using Eurofisc, the network of national tax officials set up to combat fraud. Eurofisc recently introduced analysis of cross-border fraud networks.<\/p><p>But Germany is the only member state that opted to limit its participation in Eurofisc to observer status believing that joint data analysis would impinge on its tax secrecy regime, considered sacrosanct in Germany. Effective law enforcement will take more than joint data analysis. A new EU prosecution agency is planned to start work but not until November 2020 at the earliest.<\/p><p>In Germany, the government also hesitates to take up the fight, with powerful economic and financial interests fearing a higher tax burden. Taxpayers are almost entirely unaware of the scale of the fraud. And the government appears to prefer it that way, releasing hardly any information on the subject.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-782aee2 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"782aee2\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-437340b\" data-id=\"437340b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cb5e0fe subtitle elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cb5e0fe\" data-element_type=\"widget\" id=\"subtitle_12\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">VAT Cat<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-89cfabe elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"89cfabe\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e0a9b43\" data-id=\"e0a9b43\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0cdaa6c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0cdaa6c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Baha, meanwhile, was doing well, apart from the investigations in distant Germany and the minder of his partners in crime left. He was now 25, living mostly in California, had married and was active in real estate with his aunt and cousin.<\/p><p>Baha broke off contact with prosecutors in Cologne in the summer of 2011, after six months of negotiations. But his file continued to thicken. In January 2014, the Bundeskriminalamt (BKA), Germany\u2019s equivalent of the FBI, entered the fray and contacted the US authorities. Prosecutors in Cologne wrote a second, detailed arrest warrant that ran to 90 pages.<\/p><p>On 31 March, 2014, the German authorities received a tipoff. The US Department of Homeland Security sent a message to the BKA, saying that Baha had just boarded Emirates flight 255 at Dubai international airport\u2019s Terminal 3. The 15-hour flight to San Francisco departed Dubai at 8.26am. US law enforcement would need an international arrest warrant issued by Germany to take him into custody.<\/p><p>With the plane in the air, German officials had just five hours to translate the warrant and file it with their US counterparts. Tight, but they made it. Just when Baha presented himself at passport control in San Francisco, he was immediately arrested.<\/p><p>Baha was transferred to the Santa Clara county prison in San Jos\u00e9 neighbourhood (rated 2.4\/5 stars on Google). It was not what he\u2019d become used to. His daily diary entries talk of an overcrowded prison cell shared with twelve other detainees, most of them drug addicts. There was only one toilet and the water from the tap was brown. Baha\u2019s skin was soon covered in rashes and boils. He wrote about his fears and how he joined one of the prison gangs to feel safer.<\/p><p>One year on, after a US judge granted extradition, three BKA agents come to collect him. On 13 April, 2015, they accompanied him to Frankfurt onboard Lufthansa flight 455. Returning to Germany for the first time in years, Baha had with him some lip balm, credit cards and his precious hand-written notes, amongst other items. And a special edition Audemars Piguet Royal Oak luxury watch, retail price approximately \u20ac60,000.<\/p><p>The trial 12 months later in a Cologne court lasted 14 days. All four defendants pleaded guilty. Baha\u2019s evidence was helpful in securing convictions in the Deutsche Bank cases.<\/p><p>On 14 April, 2016, Baha himself was sentenced to five years and six months in jail on 47 counts of tax fraud, and of abetting tax fraud in another 22 cases. The German state was able to recover \u20ac5 million of the illicit gains run up by schemes involving companies controlled by Baha. That\u2019s \u20ac5 million out of \u20ac40 million according to the indictment and against other estimates of up to \u20ac110 million.<\/p><p>The judge described the lenient sentence as appropriate given that Baha had shown himself to be cooperative and remorseful, and had been coerced into the crimes by others. The verdict stated that Baha was initially susceptible to financial inducement at a young age and later on was pressured into organized crime due to financial difficulties.<\/p><p>With two years in pre-trial detention, after just three months, Baha was once more a free man. German law enforcement is unsure of his current whereabouts. But Instagram provides a few clues as to how he has been enjoying his freedom, with selfies from the Champs-Elys\u00e9es in Paris, safari trips in Kenya, New Year parties in Hong Kong and more nightlife in Las Vegas.<\/p><p>In all, Baha personally had effectively paid back \u20ac500,000 to the German state. His bank balance, it seems, is still sufficient to allow him the same kind of lifestyle he had during the peak years of his VAT carousel life of crime.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cc3bbc7 elementor-share-buttons--view-text elementor-share-buttons--skin-framed elementor-share-buttons--shape-circle elementor-grid-0 elementor-share-buttons--color-official elementor-widget elementor-widget-share-buttons\" data-id=\"cc3bbc7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;share_url&quot;:{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/correctiv.org\\\/top-stories\\\/2019\\\/05\\\/06\\\/grand-theft-europe\\\/&quot;,&quot;is_external&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;nofollow&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;custom_attributes&quot;:&quot;&quot;}}\" data-widget_type=\"share-buttons.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_pocket\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttabindex=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Share on pocket\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn__text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPocket\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_facebook\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttabindex=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Share on facebook\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn__text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFacebook\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_twitter\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttabindex=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Share on twitter\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn__text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTwitter\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_whatsapp\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttabindex=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Share on whatsapp\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn__text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhatsApp\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3d53f82 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3d53f82\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4>Become part of the story<\/h4><p>We focus on long-term investigations. Your donation helps us to remain independent. Every little helps.<\/p><p><a style=\"font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 15px 10px 15px; border: 1px solid; border-color: #ff5064; border-radius: 20px; color: #ff5064;\" href=\"\/en\/single-donation\" target=\"blank\">SUPPORT US<\/a><\/p><p>We keep you in the loop on our investigations. Subscribe to our English-language newsletter here for free.<\/p><p><a style=\"font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 15px 10px 15px; border: 1px solid; border-color: black; border-radius: 20px; color: black;\" href=\"\/en\/newsletter\/\" target=\"blank\">GET ON THE LIST<\/a><\/p><p>Do you have information on tax fraud or other types of criminal activity? You can reach our journalist under marta.orosz@correctiv.orgor via or <a href=\"\/en\/contact\/anonymous-mailbox\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">encrypted letter box<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3082368d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3082368d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7a1a2eeb\" data-id=\"7a1a2eeb\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-20890e46 elementor-widget elementor-widget-menu-anchor\" data-id=\"20890e46\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"menu-anchor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"publications\" class=\"elementor-menu-anchor\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1196dee4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1196dee4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Publications<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3dfb93d2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3dfb93d2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">by 30 European media<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-58b0b25b elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"58b0b25b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<select id=\"target\">\n            <option value=\"\">Choose your country<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_1\">AUSTRIA (Addendum)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_2\">BELGIUM (De Tijd)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_3\">BULGARIA (Capital)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_4\">CROATIA (O\u0161tro)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_5\">CYPRUS (Politis)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_6\">CZECH REPUBLIC (RESPEKT)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_7\">DENMARK (Information, Jyllands Posten)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_8\">ESTONIA (\u00c4rip\u00e4ev)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_9\">FINLAND (YLE\/MOT)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_10\">FRANCE (Lib\u00e9ration)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_11\">GERMANY (CORRECTIV, ZDF\/Frontal 21, Handelsblatt, Neo Magazin)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_12\">GREECE (Kathimerini)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_13\">HUNGARY (Direkt36, 444.hu)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_131\">IRELAND<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_14\">ITALY (IlSole24Ore)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_15\">LATVIA (Delfi)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_16\">LITHUANIA (Verslo \u017einios)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_17\">LUXEMBOURG (Reporter.lu)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_18\">MALTA (The Shift)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_19\">NETHERLANDS (Follow the Money)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_20\">NORWAY (Aftenposten)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_21\">POLAND (Fundacja Reporterow, Newsweek)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_22\">PORTUGAL (Expresso)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_23\">ROUMANIA (Libertatea)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_24\">SLOVAKIA (Aktuality.sk)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_25\">SLOVENIA (O\u0161tro)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_26\">SPAIN (El Confidencial)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_27\">SWEDEN (Sveriges Radio)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_28\">SWITZERLAND (Republik)<\/option>\n<option value=\"content_29\">UK (The Bureau of Investigative Journalism)<\/option>\n            \n            <\/select>\n\n        <div id=\"content_1\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.addendum.org\/grandthefteurope\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">Addendum<\/h3>\n          <h2>When four employees generate \u20ac2 billion<\/h2>\n          <p>Austria has been right in the centre of one of the biggest VAT carousel frauds in history. Fraudsters used carbon dioxide (CO2) emission certificates to generate illegal tax rebates, some provided by a company near Vienna with a remarkably low profile. In 2009 it just had four employees. But according to a draft company presentation, which Correctiv partner Addendum has seen, they were aiming for a turnover of more than \u20ac2 billion that year. In April 2010 police raided its offices and found valuable information on the company\u2019s clients. Among others the firm had done business with a suspected fraudster from Switzerland nicknamed \u2018The Banker\u2019. He was arrested at the end of 2015 at Vienna airport.\n          <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\n\n        <div id=\"content_2\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tijd.be\/grandthefteurope\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">De Tijd<\/h3>\n          <h2>At least \u20ac400 million lost in the past decade<\/h2>\n          <p>Belgium has lost more than \u20ac400 million to VAT carousels. Recent investigations have uncovered that carousels appear in multiple business sectors, from cars to plumbing and toilet facilities. But there are also new schemes emerging, such as fraud based on \u2018guarantees of origin of electricity\u2019. Almost twenty years ago Belgium lost more than \u20ac1 billion to VAT carousels, but this has dropped to less than \u20ac45 million last year thanks to better detection by the tax office. Belgian fraudsters are still in business though, targeting other countries such as Germany from their home base.\n          <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n\n        <\/div>\n        <div id=\"content_3\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.capital.bg\/politika_i_ikonomika\/bulgaria\/2019\/05\/07\/3429775_grand_theft_europe_neveroiatnata_sudba_na_georgi\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">Capital<\/h3>\n          <h2>The Bulgarian Connection: terror, mafia and the banks<\/h2>\n          <p>Our investigation reveals the role of Bulgaria on the European VAT fraud industry. A 37-year-old Bulgarian teamed up with a Danish VAT fraud network related to the Islamic State terror group. Why an Italian businessman with links to the Mafia decides to start a business in Bulgaria. A key player in the 2007 Deutsche Bank VAT fraud case visited Bulgaria and maintained contacts with local power brokers.\n          <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div id=\"content_4\" class=\"inv\">\n          <a>\n          <h3 class=\"test\">O\u0161tro<\/h3>\n          <h2>A link in the fuel chain<\/h2>\n          <p>If EU Commission data is to be believed, Croatia lost \u20ac70 million of tax in 2016, down almost 50 percent from the year before. It now has a designated body to fight tax fraud, especially VAT carousels. Like fraudsters in neighbouring Slovenia, fraudsters in Croatia often set up VAT carousels based on fuel trading.\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div id=\"content_5\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/politis.com.cy\/politis-news\/oikonomia\/apati-karoyzel-me-kinita\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">Politis<\/h3>\n          <h2>Island vulnerable to CO2 carousel fraud<\/h2>\n          <p>In the early days of 2010, criminal networks set up companies and bank accounts in Cyprus in order to engage in VAT fraud schemes based on CO2 emission certificates. Recently, Cypriot authorities recognized the problem and made several efforts to stamp out the fraud. To this end, banking regulators implemented measures in order to fight money laundering and thousands of bank accounts have been shut down since 2014. Additionally, the Cypriot government plans to introduce a \u2018reverse charge\u2019 on the most exposed sectors.\n          <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div id=\"content_6\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.respekt.cz\/GrandTheftEurope\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">RESPEKT<\/h3>\n          <h2>A prime minister and the VAT game<\/h2>\n          <p>Cross-border VAT fraud remains the biggest category of tax evasion in the country, according to Czech tax authorities, despite some progress in tackling the issue in recent years. The so-called VAT gap accounted for 16 percent of VAT intake in 2015, mostly due to carousel fraud. Czech prime minister Andrej Babis, a billionaire with stakes in agro-chemical businesses, was allegedly affected by VAT fraud due to cheap imports of biofuels by his companies\u2019 rivals. The EU bowed to Babis pressure last year and opened a door for Czech Republic to implement a blanket reverse charge mechanism for all commodities and any transaction over \u20ac17,500.\n          <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div id=\"content_7\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.information.dk\/indland\/2019\/05\/grand-theft-europe-svindlere-indretter-firmaer-paa-tomme-grunde-falske-adresser\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">Information<\/h3>\n          <h2>Danish directors involved in VAT fraud that spans several EU countries<\/h2>\n          <p>A large fraud worth millions of Euros by a criminal network including several Danish businessmen is being investigated by authorities in Europe and in the USA. The money appears to have been stolen in a VAT fraud with electricity that covers Norway, Poland, Germany, Slovenia, UK and Italy. The revelations are a result of a cross border investigation with Correctiv! And a network of journalists from several EU countries, the Danish newspapers Jyllands-Posten and Dagbladet Information. At the center of the fraud is the company Castor Energy, which was owned and operated by a group of Danish businessmen, but which had offices in several European countries. The directors used \u201cmissing traders\u201d to steal of VAT from European treasuries. The VAT fraud case has connections to much broader investigation involving people in the US and Dubai.\n            <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <br>\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/finans.dk\/erhverv\/ECE11361090\/ring-af-danskere-er-indblandet-i-spektakulaer-millionsvindelsag\/?ctxref=forside\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">Jyllands Posten<\/h3>\n          <h2>Danish VAT fraud case with secret FBI investigation<\/h2>\n          <p>For years, authorities in Europe and United States have investigated what seems to be a syndicate involving Danish citizens committing VAT fraud including the use of power trading. Millions of euros disappeared through a complicated series of transactions in Norway, Poland, Germany and Slovenia. We reveal how this case has ties to a possible fraud case in the US involving a secret FBI investigation into a much broader Danish network of persons residing in the US and Dubai.\n            <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div id=\"content_8\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"www.aripaev.ee\/uudised\/2019\/05\/07\/grand-theft-europe-eesti-patid-petsid-rootsilt-valja-miljoneid\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">\u00c4rip\u00e4ev<\/h3>\n          <h2>A straw man\u2019s straw man<\/h2>\n          <p>Estonia has had some success in reducing the so-called VAT gap and is among those in EU states which actively fight against VAT carousel fraud. However, fraudsters are still active, using ever more complex schemes involving more countries. Estonian fraudsters set up a scheme trading precious metals in Sweden and Finland, laundering the dirty money in Estonia afterwards. One of the bosses who was caught even claimed that he was actually a straw man of his own straw men.\n            <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <div id=\"content_9\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/yle.fi\/uutiset\/3-10771395\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">YLE\/MOT<\/h3>\n          <h2>Tax Thieves in the pockets of the Finns<\/h2>\n          <p>This is the story of a 100 percent fictitious VAT carousel fraud, in which an Estonian citizen and a Finnish accountant built a chain consisting of ten Finnish and three Estonian companies. Europol\u00b4s Head of Serious Organized Crime, Jari Liukku, and Giuseppe Governale, director at the Italian Anti-Mafia Investigation Directorate describe the connection to organized, mafia-style crime networks.\n              <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <div id=\"content_10\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.liberation.fr\/planete\/2019\/05\/07\/fraude-a-la-tva-carrousel-la-crasse-du-siecle_1725371\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">Lib\u00e9ration<\/h3>\n          <h2>The fallout of the biggest heist in French history<\/h2>\n          <p>Between 2008 and 2009, France experienced one of the biggest frauds in its history. An estimated \u20ac1.6 billion were stolen within months by fraudsters in several cases of VAT fraud based on carbon credits. Lib\u00e9ration tells the consequences of this fraud, in which Franco-Israeli scammers, who have often fled from France, have played an important role and the decisions that have been taken or simply promised by the French authorities to prevent further cases.\n          <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <div id=\"content_11\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a>\n          <h3 class=\"test\">CORRECTIV<\/h3>\n          <h2>A multi-million teenage fraudster<\/h2>\n          <p>The story of Amir B. shows how a clever teenager rose from mobile phone trader to tax carousel lynchpin within just a few years. Following his tracks reveals the structure of the fraud system and the difficulties the authorities face in the war against VAT fraud.\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <br>\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdf.de\/politik\/frontal-21\/der-grosse-betrug-vom-7-mai-2019-100.html\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">ZDF\/Frontal 21<\/h3>\n          <h2>The big fraud<\/h2>\n          <p>The biggest tax heist in history \u2013 fraudsters and terrorists are looting European tax coffers each year as European states fail to agree a common VAT system.\n          <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <br>\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.handelsblatt.com\/finanzen\/banken-versicherungen\/umsatzsteuerkarussell-batmans-beutezuege-so-laeuft-der-groesste-steuerbetrug-europas\/24310298.html\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">Handelsblatt<\/h3>\n          <h2>Germany\u2019s most dogged prosecutor<\/h2>\n          <p>Handelsblatt met an insider who for many years was part of a VAT carousel fraud, providing insights into the scheme and its structures. Handelsblatt has also spoken to Marcus Paintinger, a prosecutor in the southern German city of Augsburg who has a reputation as the most dogged prosecutor in Germany. He is responsible for dozens of indictments and jail terms.\n          <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <br>\n        <a>\n          <h3 class=\"test\">Neo Magazin<\/h3>\n          <h2>Become a millionaire in months?<\/h2>\n          <p>A tale made for satire: Jan B\u00f6hmermann explains how you can make millions while politicians fail to take the fraud seriously.\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <div id=\"content_12\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"http:\/\/www.kathimerini.gr\/1022642\/interactive\/epikairothta\/ereynes\/h-apath-toy-aiwna-me-to-emporio-rypwn\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">Kathimerini<\/h3>\n          <h2>How the EU troika helped fuel the fraud<\/h2>\n          <p>In recent years Greek financial authorities were pressed by the so called European \u2018troika\u2019 to return VAT owed to Greek companies as a measure to help the economy. Within two years, the amount of VAT owed to the state was reduced from \u20ac3 billion to just \u20ac700 million. More than \u20ac2 billion were returned to the private sector with little or no oversight and there are indications that this procedure fueled VAT carousel fraud.\n         <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div id=\"content_13\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.direkt36.hu\/magyar-cegek-is-erintettek-a-nagy-europai-afarablasban\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">Direkt36<\/h3>\n          <h3 class=\"test\">444.hu<\/h3>\n          <h2>The boxer and a well of money<\/h2>\n          <p>Hungary has the highest VAT rate in the EU at 27 percent, making it a tempting target for VAT carousel fraud. In recent years, the country\u2019s tax office has uncovered networks that traded, among others, oil, sugar, crops and soy beans. Documents from the Grand Theft Europe database show that a Hungarian boxer was accused in the EU-wide CO2 emissions case, which involved Deutsche Bank. Another case involved a Hungarian company in a network selling fuel from Slovakia to the Czech Republic.\n          <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n          <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div id=\"content_131\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a>\n          <h2>A banking sector as a hub for tax fraud<\/h2>\n          <p>Leaked documents from police and tax authority investigations identify transactions involving the banking system, as well as millions of euros in deals involving in shell companies that were investigated for costing the German taxpayer tens of millions of euros. The documents also show that Bank of Ireland was party to deals involving financial platforms which were suspected by police forces around the continent of being a hub for transactions involving tax fraud. The documents show how criminal gangs take advantage of innocent companies through identity theft, and raise serious questions about the governance and oversight of customer relationships by Irish banks.\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\n\n        <div id=\"content_14\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ilsole24ore.com\/art\/mondo\/2019-05-02\/quei-due-miliardi-iva-bruciati-ogni-anno-carburanti-illegali-161918.shtml?uuid=AB9UibtB\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">IlSole24Ore<\/h3>\n          <h2>Fuel for fraud<\/h2>\n          <p>Fuel trading is particularly exposed to VAT fraud carousels, according to Italian tax authorities. The Italian association of oil companies estimates the losses at around \u20ac2 billion per year. Fuel trade offers large profit margins and has been at the centre of dozens of police operations \u2013 either related to smuggling or to VAT fraud. In many cases, the crimes overlap. And in some cases, organized crime was involved.\n            <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <div id=\"content_15\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.delfi.lv\/bizness\/biznesa_vide\/grand-theft-europe-pvn-karuselos-griezas-miljardi-latvija-zaudejumus-nerekina.d?id=51057165\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">Delfi<\/h3>\n          <h2>The regulatory lab<\/h2>\n          <p>Since 1999 Latvia has relied on the reverse charge mechanism in many sectors. The Baltic state overhauled VAT regulations several times. Yet twenty years on and the country\u2019s tax office acknowledges that the new system has not resulted in long-term improvements.\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <div id=\"content_16\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vz.lt\/finansai-apskaita\/2019\/05\/07\/pvm-sistema-europoje-melzia-kas-netingi-bedu-turi-ir-lietuva\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">Verslo \u017einios<\/h3>\n          <h2>The \u2018big beast\u2019 of VAT fraud<\/h2>\n          <p>The Lithuanian tax authority admits that VAT fraud is \u2018a big beast\u2019 but claims that it is not possible to calculate how much exactly it costs Lithuanian taxpayers. The Financial Crime Investigation Agency now has 50 cases under investigation. Internationally, Lithuanian companies usually act as intermediaries. Lithuanian fraudsters create schemes through neighbouring countries such as Latvia, Estonia, and Poland.\n            <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <div id=\"content_17\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reporter.lu\/grand-theft-europe-luxemburg-kriminelle-energie\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">Reporter.lu<\/h3>\n          <h2>A game of cat and mouse<\/h2>\n          <p>Fraudsters play cat and mouse with tax authorities: After the CO2 trading fraud, they moved into the energy sector. Exploiting lax rules in Luxembourg and using numerous shell companies, criminal gangs stole millions of euros from several EU countries. Currently the government is trying to prevent the same carousel fraud with green energy certificates.\n          <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <div id=\"content_18\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/theshiftnews.com\/2019\/05\/08\/grand-theft-europe-fraud-by-companies-in-malta-exposed\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">The Shift<\/h3>\n          <h2>The island of missing traders<\/h2>\n          <p>The Maltese government claims that Malta does not have a VAT enforcement problem. The Grand Theft Europe investigation addresses this misconception head-on by explaining how Malta is typically used by VAT fraudster rings as the missing trader location or as a buffer to obscure transactions and later launder proceeds. The Maltese exchequer\u2019s statistics do not accurately identity traders who fail to declare any VAT or the damage to other countries\u2019 finances. They do show how Maltese companies involved in these missing trader scams often use the services of nominees. Once exposed these companies end up abandoned on the Maltese register of companies.\n          <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <div id=\"content_19\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftm.nl\/artikelen\/grand-theft-europe-de-gestolen-btw-miljarden?share=1\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">Follow the Money<\/h3>\n          <h2>High stakes in a flawed system<\/h2>\n          <p>How could this robbery have been allowed to go on for over a quarter of a century? The answers of experts are telling: the stakes are too high (The Netherlands alone made over \u20ac53 billion in VAT revenue in 2018) and governments don\u2019t want to lose control of that. The reason for this is lack of trust between EU member states. The reasoning: better to control a flawed system, than to give away national sovereignty. \u2018Members states will always act in their own interest first,\u2019 says VAT-fraud expert Marie Lamensch. \u2018Cooperation just doesn't work; the past proves that.\u2019\n          <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <div id=\"content_20\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aftenposten.no\/norge\/i\/g7k5Wq\/Skattedirektoren-advarer-mot-internasjonal-momssvindel-med-gronne-sertifikater\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">Aftenposten<\/h3>\n          <h2>The Warning<\/h2>\n          <p>Norwegian officials are warning: Since January 2019, investigators at the Tax Administration's Treasury Department have seen signs that the market for guarantees of origin, so called green certificates, may be the new, hot target for the organized bands engaged in VAT fraud.\n          <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <div id=\"content_21\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsweek.pl\/polska\/mafia-vat-panstwowy-tauron-dunski-lacznik-i-sledztwo-fbi\/xlh4c1q\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">Fundacja Reporterow<\/h3>\n          <h3 class=\"test\">Newsweek<\/h3>\n          <h2>A Danish-Polish affair<\/h2>\n          <p>In our story we explain one of the most common fraud mechanisms that occurred in Poland and show why the fraudsters found it so easy to ensnare legal and well-established companies in criminal schemes. Thanks to our Danish colleagues we highlight a case previously unknown to the Polish public, involving a VAT carousel in energy trading created by Danish citizens and operated for almost a year with the participation of one of Poland\u2019s largest state-run companies.\n           <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <div id=\"content_22\" class=\"inv\">\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/expresso.pt\/economia\/2019-05-07-Como-a-Europa-esta-a-perder-milhares-de-milhoes-de-euros-dos-contribuintes-para-redes-criminosas#gs.aa9vci\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">Expresso<\/h3>\n          <h2>A stage for foreign fraudsters<\/h2>\n          <p>The Grand Theft Europe files show how Portugal was a stage for the German CO2 emissions VAT scam. According to police sources current areas of VAT fraud are linked with Italian and Eastern European crime syndicates. The fraud is flourishing due to a lack of cooperation between national authorities and difficulties in procuring admissible evidence. \n           <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <div id=\"content_23\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/wpadm.libertatea.ro\/stiri\/isis-a-folosit-companii-romanesti-ca-sa-si-finanteze-actiunile-2625093\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">Libertatea<\/h3>\n          <h2>One guy to rule them all<\/h2>\n          <p>Romania is part of the VAT fraud route and the proceeds have sometimes financed international terrorism, as an anonymous case study and interviews with high ranking officials show. In addition, an expert explains weaknesses in the legislation. Recent changes to the tax administration mean that the oversight system has been rendered more vulnerable to abuse as a single official can now decide which cases to investigate\u2026 or not.\n           <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <div id=\"content_24\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aktuality.sk\/clanok\/689536\/grand-theft-europe-slovensko-a-cela-europa-v-danovych-kolotococh\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">Aktuality.sk<\/h3>\n          <h2>The billion-euro-company with no offices<\/h2>\n          <p>Clean Energy Trading is a company with a turnover of more than \u20ac1 billion and \u2013 on paper \u2013 a giant of the Slovak economy which receives tax breaks of \u20ac140 million year after year. The Grand Theft Europe investigation reveals that the firm has neither employees nor an office. Instead it acts as a \u2018buffer\u2019 in current CO2 credits fraud schemes.\n          <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <div id=\"content_25\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ostro.si\/si\/zgodbe\/grand-theft-europe-velika-davcna-kraja-eu\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">O\u0161tro<\/h3>\n          <h2>Cars in the carousel<\/h2>\n          <p>Slovenia loses an estimated \u20ac290 million in tax payments per year, but nobody knows what share of the tax gap is due to VAT carousels. Last year tax investigators succeeded in raising an additional \u20ac5.3 million in VAT. Slovenian tax fraudsters are known to be involved in VAT carousels concerning car imports and fuel trading.\n          <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <div id=\"content_26\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.elconfidencial.com\/espana\/2019-05-07\/celula-yihadista-fraude-iva-pollo-dinamarca-melilla_1975606\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">El Confidencial<\/h3>\n          <h2>The ISIS connection- spinning for the caliphate<\/h2>\n          <p>A Melilla terrorist cell used a company network in Denmark to illicitly gain at least \u20ac8 million via more than 40 companies. The money was used to finance travel of fighters to join the Islamic State terror group. Mohamed El Mahdaoui, a Danish-Moroccan citizen, was a key player. He was arrested in 2017 and is pending trial. Although apparently jobless, he was able to maintain a high living standard. The Melilla cell also used car insurance fraud (more than \u20ac50,000 euros) and armed robberies to finance their activities.\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <div id=\"content_27\" class=\"inv\">\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/sverigesradio.se\/sida\/artikel.aspx?programid=83&artikel=7212273\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">Sveriges Radio<\/h3>\n          <h2>From terror financing to green certificates<\/h2>\n          <p>Sweden has lost about \u20ac9 million in VAT frauds that were linked to terror financing. In those frauds, the most common goods were mobile phones. That specific type of fraud now seems to have been reduced. Instead, The Swedish Tax Authority sees increased activity in new markets, and that comes with new challenges. Something that Swedish Broadcasting Corporation (Sveriges Radio) will be reporting on.\n          <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <div id=\"content_28\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.republik.ch\/2019\/05\/07\/das-karussell\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">Republik<\/h3>\n          <h2>The black hole \u2013 where Europe\u2019s stolen money disappears<\/h2>\n          <p>Switzerland as a non-EU member plays a special role within the big picture of VAT carousel fraud. With its lower VAT rates \u2013 7.7 percent standard -- the country is not an interesting direct target for VAT carousels. Once again, however, banking hotspot Switzerland is a place where dubious accounts are opened, fraudulent tracks are covered up, and money disappears and is redistributed. This is how the small and neutral country contributes to one of the biggest frauds in Europe.\n          <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <div id=\"content_29\" class=\"inv\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thebureauinvestigates.com\/stories\/2019-05-07\/how-major-banks-turned-a-blind-eye-to-the-theft-of-billions-of-pounds-of-public-money\" target=\"_blank\">\n          <h3 class=\"test\">The Bureau of Investigative Journalism<\/h3>\n          <h2>Legal battles in hunt for stolen money<\/h2>\n          <p>In 2010, fraudsters stole hundreds of millions of pounds of public money through VAT scams in just two months. A decade later, the taxman is still chasing the money through the courts, in cases which allege none of it would have been possible without major banks turning a blind eye.\n          <br>\n          <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n          <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Read the article<\/span>\n          <\/p>\n        <\/a>\n        <\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7a95626c elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7a95626c\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7a480b1f\" data-id=\"7a480b1f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-23fb639f elementor-widget elementor-widget-menu-anchor\" data-id=\"23fb639f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"menu-anchor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"faq\" class=\"elementor-menu-anchor\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-73036325 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"73036325\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">FAQ<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-566221c0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"566221c0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The carousel explained in 100 seconds<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-45985b1c elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"45985b1c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;youtube_url&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/youtu.be\\\/4xSQsXoCJQM&quot;,&quot;show_image_overlay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;image_overlay&quot;:{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/02\\\/erklaervideo.jpg&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:41686,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;},&quot;lazy_load&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;lightbox&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;youtube&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-wrapper elementor-open-lightbox\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-custom-embed-image-overlay\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;video&quot;,&quot;videoType&quot;:&quot;youtube&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/embed\\\/4xSQsXoCJQM?feature=oembed&amp;start&amp;end&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;loop=0&amp;controls=0&amp;mute=0&amp;rel=0&amp;modestbranding=0&quot;,&quot;modalOptions&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;elementor-lightbox-45985b1c&quot;,&quot;entranceAnimation&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;entranceAnimation_tablet&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;entranceAnimation_mobile&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;videoAspectRatio&quot;:&quot;169&quot;}}\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJ0eXBlIjoidmlkZW8iLCJ2aWRlb1R5cGUiOiJ5b3V0dWJlIiwidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6XC9cL3d3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbVwvZW1iZWRcLzR4U1FzWG9DSlFNP2ZlYXR1cmU9b2VtYmVkJnN0YXJ0JmVuZCZ3bW9kZT1vcGFxdWUmbG9vcD0wJmNvbnRyb2xzPTAmbXV0ZT0wJnJlbD0wJm1vZGVzdGJyYW5kaW5nPTAiLCJtb2RhbE9wdGlvbnMiOnsiaWQiOiJlbGVtZW50b3ItbGlnaHRib3gtNDU5ODViMWMiLCJlbnRyYW5jZUFuaW1hdGlvbiI6IiIsImVudHJhbmNlQW5pbWF0aW9uX3RhYmxldCI6IiIsImVudHJhbmNlQW5pbWF0aW9uX21vYmlsZSI6IiIsInZpZGVvQXNwZWN0UmF0aW8iOiIxNjkifX0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erklaervideo.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-41686\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erklaervideo.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erklaervideo-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erklaervideo-1600x900.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erklaervideo-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erklaervideo-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erklaervideo-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erklaervideo-400x225.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-custom-embed-play\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Play Video\" tabindex=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"eicon-play\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-screen-only\">Play Video<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-295cfa9 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"295cfa9\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2d0e29c0\" data-id=\"2d0e29c0\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4621735 elementor-widget elementor-widget-toggle\" data-id=\"4621735\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"toggle.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-7351\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-7351\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fa fa-angle-up\"><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">How do VAT fraud carousels work?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-7351\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-7351\"><p>Under the scheme, fraudsters claim the reimbursement of value-added tax (VAT) from the tax office that they never paid in the first place. VAT is supposed to be paid only by the final buyer of a product. Traders who pay VAT on the purchase of unfinished goods reclaim the tax paid from the tax office.<br \/>Fraudsters trade goods between EU member states several times and exploit the fact that no VAT is due on cross-border trades as member states have different VAT rates. If a fraudster based in Germany buys a car in France at zero percent VAT, he can sell it on to another trader in Germany with a 19 percent surcharge. He is obliged to pass this onto the tax office but instead keeps the money. By the time the tax office has noticed, the trader has disappeared, which is why he also called the missing trader, and this type of crime is also known as \u2018Missing Trade Intra-Community\u2019 (MTIC) fraud. Fraudsters mostly use expensive goods such as mobile phones or luxury cars, or virtual goods that can be traded without transport and storage costs such as emission certificates.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-7352\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-7352\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fa fa-angle-up\"><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">What\u2019s the damage?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-7352\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-7352\"><p>The EU Commission estimates the annual losses at \u20ac50 billion. In Germany, Europe\u2019s largest economy, estimates range from\u20ac5 to \u20ac15 billion a year.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-7353\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-7353\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fa fa-angle-up\"><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Can the money be recovered?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-7353\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-7353\"><p>Only a fraction of the losses are ever recovered. Prosecuting VAT fraud takes years and in most cases only low-level operators are sentenced. The key players quickly move their illicit gains to off-shore accounts in tax havens, where the money is out of reach of European law enforcement.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-7354\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-7354\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fa fa-angle-up\"><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">What can be done at an EU level?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-7354\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-7354\">Some experts say only a common VAT rate across the EU would stop the fraud. This, however, would turn the EU into a federal state with uniform tax legislation. This would constitute a radical change of the EU for which there is no political majority.\nThe fraud can also be reduced to a certain extent by individual countries applying something called \u2018reverse charge\u2019, which moves the tax burden to the last trader in a supply chain. This means that no other trader in the chain pays VAT on his purchases and is therefore not entitled to claim funds from the tax office. Introducing reverse charge, however, merely prompts fraudsters to move to another EU member state, which is why its introduction needs to be approved by Brussels.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-7355\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-7355\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed fa fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fa fa-angle-up\"><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">What are individual members states doing about it?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-7355\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-7355\">Germany in particular is struggling to combat VAT fraud as the tax is levied by the countries\u2019 16 regional states whose tax offices and prosecutors are reluctant to cooperate with each other. Germany is also reluctant to join EU-wide initiatives to share more data between member states over fears this could threaten its precious secrecy in tax matters.\nThe United Kingdom has achieved considerable success by aggressively prosecuting VAT fraud. Convicted fraudsters for example can receive life sentences. Tax investigators have wide-ranging powers, facing lower hurdles when inspecting companies and freezing funds than their counterparts in other countries.\n\nEstonia has introduced real-time, electronic monitoring of its fuel trade, a sector in which it was particularly hit by VAT fraud in the past. Beginning in January 2019, Italy has made electronic invoicing mandatory allowing tax officials to monitor trade in real time.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-230a63ab elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"230a63ab\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-57e00828\" data-id=\"57e00828\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1e560a07 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1e560a07\" data-element_type=\"widget\" id=\"viz\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">50 BILLION<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5a37ec0b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"5a37ec0b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">This much can be done with \u20ac50 billion<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-631238c2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"631238c2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>It&#8217;s hard to imagine what can be done with so much money.<br \/>Try for yourself!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4cba4952 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4cba4952\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-14252256\" data-id=\"14252256\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-423f2c13 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"423f2c13\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"gteviz-wrapper\" data-mount=\"gteviz\" data-lang=\"en\" data-scope=\"eu\"><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-58d847f2 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"58d847f2\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3f88039e\" data-id=\"3f88039e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-af681e6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"af681e6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">NEWSLETTER<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2ed2f453 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2ed2f453\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Don't miss any of our investigations<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7b77b53e elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"7b77b53e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"\/en\/newsletter\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">SUBSCRIBE<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3639d31c elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3639d31c\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-67f951bd\" data-id=\"67f951bd\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-565e8a55 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"565e8a55\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">THE COOPERATION<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5a92a1cc elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"5a92a1cc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">63 journalists \u2013 35 newsrooms \u2013 30 countries<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-293c0f48 kooperation elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"293c0f48\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Grand Theft Europe<\/strong> is an investigation by the German non-profit newsroom CORRECTIV, which in 2018 also coordinated the <a href=\"https:\/\/cumex-files.com\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CumEx Files<\/a>. The journalists again shared files and information to investigate the criminal networks. The participating newsrooms offer for the first time an overview on VAT carousel fraud across Europe.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-339fd149 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"339fd149\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4810d923\" data-id=\"4810d923\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-67a53985 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"67a53985\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-16f8569a reporters elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"16f8569a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" id=\"reporters\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Austria<\/strong>: Stefan Melichar (Addendum) <strong>Belgium<\/strong>: Lars Bov\u00e9 (De Tijd) <strong>Bulgaria<\/strong>: Rossen Bossev (Capital) <strong>Croatia<\/strong>: Anu\u0161ka Deli\u0107, Ma\u0161enjka Ba\u010di\u0107 (O\u0161tro) <strong>Cyprus<\/strong>: Yiannis Seitanidis (Politis) <strong>Czech Republic<\/strong>: Jiri Nadoba (RESPEKT) <strong>Denmark<\/strong>: Bo Elkjaer, Sebastian Gjerding, Lasse Skou Andersen (Information), Niels Sandoe, Matias Seidelin (Jyllands Posten) Estonia: Piret Reiljan (\u00c4rip\u00e4ev) <strong>Finland<\/strong>: Magnus Berglund (YLE\/MOT) <strong>France<\/strong>: Emmanuel Fansten, Jacques Pezet (Lib\u00e9ration) <strong>Germany<\/strong>: Oliver Schr\u00f6m (CORRECTIV), Marta Orosz (CORRECTIV), Christian Salewski (CORRECTIV), Anne-Lise Bouyer (CORRECTIV), Simon W\u00f6rpel (CORRECTIV), Ruth Fend (CORRECTIV), Frederik Richter (CORRECTIV), Corinna Cerruti (CORRECTIV), Hans Koberstein (ZDF Frontal 21), Markus Reichert (ZDF Frontal 21) Ren\u00e9 Bender (Handelsblatt), Jan Keuchel (Handelsblatt) Jean Peters (Neo Magazin Royale), Lisa Seemann (Neo Magazin Royale), Johannes Oberkrome (Neo Magazin Royale) <strong>Greece<\/strong>: John (Yannis) Souliotis, Tasos Telloglou (Kathimerini) <strong>Hungary<\/strong>: Blanka Z\u00f6ldi (Direkt36, 444.hu) <strong>Italy<\/strong>: Giulio Rubino (CORRECTIV), Angelo Mincuzzi (IlSole24Ore) <strong>Latvia<\/strong>: Filips Lastovskis (Delfi) <strong>Lithuania<\/strong>: Liucija Zubrute (Verslo \u017einios), Vytautas V. Zeimantas (Verslo \u017einios) <strong>Luxembourg<\/strong>: Laurent Schmit (Reporter.lu) <strong>Malta<\/strong>: Caroline Muscat (The Shift) <strong>Netherlands<\/strong>: Eric Smit (Follow the Money), Robert Kosters (Follow the Money), Dennis Mijnheer (Follow the Money) <strong>Norway<\/strong>: Jan Gunnar Furuly (Aftenposten) <strong>Poland<\/strong>: Wojciech Cie\u015bla (Fundacja Reporterow), Anna Kiedrzynek (Newsweek) <strong>Portugal<\/strong>: Elisabete Miranda (Expresso) <strong>Romania<\/strong>: Razvan Lutac (Libertatea), Laura Stefanut (Libertatea) <strong>Slovakia<\/strong>: Peter Sabo (Aktuality.sk) <strong>Slovenia<\/strong>: Anu\u0161ka Deli\u0107 (O\u0161tro), Klara \u0160krinjar (O\u0161tro) <strong>Spain<\/strong>: Olaya Argueso (CORRECTIV), Mar\u00eda Zuil (El Confidencial) <strong>Sweden<\/strong>: Emelie Rosen (Sverige Radio) <strong>Switzerland<\/strong>: Sylke Gruhnwald (Republik), Marguerite Meyer (Republik) <strong>UK<\/strong>: Madlen Davies (The Bureau of Investigative Journalism), Ben Stockton (The Bureau of Investigative Journalism)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-73d3cba2 reporters-mobile elementor-widget elementor-widget-toggle\" data-id=\"73d3cba2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" id=\"reporters-mobile\" data-widget_type=\"toggle.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-1941\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1941\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed fa fa-angle-down\"><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fa fa-angle-up\"><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">REPORTER-TEAM<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1941\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1941\"><p><strong>Belgien<\/strong>: Lars Bov\u00e9 (De Tijd) <strong>Bulgarien<\/strong>: Rossen Bossev (Capital) <strong>D\u00e4nemark<\/strong>: Bo Elkjaer (Information), Sebastian Gjerding (Information), Lasse Skou Andersen (Information), Niels Sandoe (Jyllands Posten), Matias Seidelin (Jyllands Posten) <strong>Deutschland<\/strong>: Oliver Schr\u00f6m (CORRECTIV), Marta Orosz (CORRECTIV), Christian Salewski (CORRECTIV), Anne-Lise Bouyer (CORRECTIV), Simon Woerpel (CORRECTIV), Ruth Fend (CORRECTIV), Frederik Richter (CORRECTIV), Corinna Cerruti (CORRECTIV), Hans Koberstein (ZDF Frontal 21), Markus Reichert (ZDF Frontal 21), Ren\u00e9 Bender (Handelsblatt), Jan Keuchel (Handelsblatt), Jean Peters (Neo Magazin), Lisa Seemann (Neo Magazin), Johannes Oberkrome (Neo Magazin) <strong>Estland<\/strong>: Piret Reiljan (\u00c4rip\u00e4ev) <strong>Finnland<\/strong>: Magnus Berglund (YLE\/MOT) <strong>Frankreich<\/strong>: Emmanuel Fansten (Lib\u00e9ration), Jacques Pezet (Lib\u00e9ration) <strong>Griechenland<\/strong>: John (Yannis) Souliotis (Kathimerini), Tasos Telloglou (Kathimerini) <strong>Italien<\/strong>: Giulio Rubino (CORRECTIV), Angelo Mincuzzi (IlSole24Ore) <strong>Kroatien<\/strong>: Anu\u0161ka Deli\u0107 (O\u0161tro), Ma\u0161enjka Ba\u010di\u0107 (O\u0161tro) <strong>Lettland<\/strong>: Filips Lastovskis (Delfi) <strong>Litauen<\/strong>: Liucija Zubrute (Verslo \u017einios), Vytautas V. Zeimantas (Verslo \u017einios) <strong>Luxembourg<\/strong>: Laurent Schmit (Reporter.lu) <strong>Malta<\/strong>: Caroline Muscat (The Shift) <strong>Niederlande<\/strong>: Eric Smit (Follow the Money), Robert Kosters (Follow the Money), Dennis Mijnheer (Follow the Money) <strong>Norwegen<\/strong>: Jan Gunnar Furuly (Aftenposten) <strong>\u00d6sterreich<\/strong>: Stefan Melichar (Addendum) <strong>Polen<\/strong>: Wojciech Cie\u015bla (Fundacja Reporterow), Anna Kiedrzynek (Fundacja Reporterow) <strong>Portugal<\/strong>: Elisabete Miranda (Expresso) <strong>Rum\u00e4nien<\/strong>: Razvan Lutac (Libertatea), Laura Stefanut (Libertatea) <strong>Schweden<\/strong>: Emelie Rosen (Sverige Radio) <strong>Schweiz<\/strong>: Sylke Gruhnwald (Republik) , Marguerite Meyer (Republik) <strong>Slowakei<\/strong>: Peter Sabo (Aktuality.sk) <strong>Slowenien<\/strong>: Anu\u0161ka Deli\u0107 (O\u0161tro), Klara \u0160krinjar (O\u0161tro) <strong>Spanien<\/strong>: Olaya Argueso (CORRECTIV), Mar\u00eda Zuil (El Confidencial) <strong>Tschechien<\/strong>: Jiri Nadoba (RESPEKT) <strong>Ungarn<\/strong>: Blanka Z\u00f6ldi (Direkt36, 444.hu) <strong>Vereinigtes K\u00f6nigreich:<\/strong> Madlen Davies (The Bureau of Investigative Journalism), Ben Stockton (The Bureau of Investigative Journalism) <strong>Zypern<\/strong>: Yiannis Seitanidis (Politis)tanidis (Politis)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3d6d4f37 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3d6d4f37\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5168fe2\" data-id=\"5168fe2\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-68a5cd9c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"68a5cd9c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">CORRECTIV<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-379fef54 elementor-widget elementor-widget-menu-anchor\" data-id=\"379fef54\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"menu-anchor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"about\" class=\"elementor-menu-anchor\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7919f975 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7919f975\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Investigative. Independent. Non-profit.<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7f75079a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7f75079a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>CORRECTIV<\/strong> is the first non-profit newsroom in the German-speaking region. We investigate crime, injustice and abuse of power.\u00a0CORRECTIV is financed by donations.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-60c47ec1 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"60c47ec1\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5e2959c6\" data-id=\"5e2959c6\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3c00447 elementor-align-right elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"3c00447\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"\/en\/single-donation\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">SUPPORT CORRECTIV<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-474026ae\" data-id=\"474026ae\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6854f5e7 elementor-align-left elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"6854f5e7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"http:\/\/correctiv.org\/en\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">ABOUT CORRECTIV<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5ba757ba elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5ba757ba\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-68ffff1b\" data-id=\"68ffff1b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-203c2ad0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"203c2ad0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-109bb9aa credits elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"109bb9aa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>An investigation by <a href=\"\/en\"><strong>CORRECTIV<\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><strong>Project Management:\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"\/team\/marta-orosz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Marta Orosz<\/a> (head), Christian Salewski, <a href=\"\/team\/oliver-schroem\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Oliver Schr\u00f6m<\/a><br \/><strong><b>Investigation<\/b>:<\/strong> <a href=\"\/team\/marta-orosz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Marta Orosz<\/a>, Hans Koberstein, Markus Reichert, David Crawford<br \/><strong><b>Writing<\/b>:<\/strong> <a href=\"\/team\/ruth-fend\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ruth Fend<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"\/team\/oliver-schroem\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Oliver Schr\u00f6m<\/a><br \/><strong><b>Design<\/b>:<\/strong> <a href=\"\/team\/benjamin-schubert\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Benjamin Schubert<\/a><br \/><strong><b>Joint investigation platform, data &amp; infrastructure<\/b>:<\/strong> <a href=\"\/team\/anne-lise-bouyer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Anne-Lise Bouyer,\u00a0<\/a><a href=\"\/team\/simon-woerpel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Simon W\u00f6rpel<\/a><br \/><strong><b>Pictures<\/b>:<\/strong> <a href=\"\/team\/ivo-mayr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ivo Mayr<\/a><br \/><strong><b>Visualisation<\/b>:<\/strong> <a href=\"\/team\/simon-woerpel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Simon W\u00f6rpel,\u00a0<\/a><a href=\"\/team\/anne-lise-bouyer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Anne-Lise Bouyer,\u00a0<\/a>Corinna Cerruti<br \/><strong><b>Development<\/b>:<\/strong> <a href=\"\/team\/benjamin-schubert\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Benjamin Schubert<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"\/team\/michel-penke\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Michel Penke<\/a><br \/><strong><b>Contributions<\/b>:<\/strong> Corinna Cerruti, <a href=\"\/team\/marius-wolf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Marius Wolf<\/a><br \/><strong>Social Media:<\/strong> <a href=\"\/team\/luise-lange\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Luise Lange<\/a>, Katharina Sp\u00e4th, Valentin Zick, Corinna Cerutti<br \/><strong><b>Animation Video<\/b>:<\/strong> Daniel Schleusner<br \/><strong>Trailer Video:<\/strong> <a href=\"\/team\/benjamin-schubert\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Benjamin Schubert<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"\/team\/simon-woerpel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Simon W\u00f6rpel<\/a><br \/><strong><b>English-language production<\/b>:<\/strong> <a href=\"\/team\/frederik-richter\">Frederik Richter<\/a><\/p><p><strong>Photo credits:<\/strong>\u00a0Karan Bhatia \/ unsplash, Camera Press \/ Picture Press, Michael Fenton \/ unsplash, Frontal 21\/ZDF, Romeo Gacad \/ AFP, Daniel Leal-Olivas \/ AFP, Ivo Mayr \/ CORRECTIV, Giulio Napolitano \/ AFP, David Rodrigo \/ unsplash, Boris Roessler \/ dpa, Daniel Roland \/ AFP, Ant Rozetsky \/ unsplash, John Thys \/ AFP, Patrick Tomasso \/ unsplash, Romain V \/ unsplash<\/p><p>May 7th 2019<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-43890a2 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"43890a2\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-25e79b3f\" data-id=\"25e79b3f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1a59c5a0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"1a59c5a0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div 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A Europe-wide investigation by 63 journalists from 30 countries, coordinated by CORRECTIV. Pocket Twitter Facebook WhatsApp The Story Which version would you like to read? Key Findings Full Story Publications by 30 European media Choose your [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1889,"featured_media":41801,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,23],"tags":[300],"class_list":{"0":"post-42206","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-top-stories","9":"tag-fuer-die-gesellschaft-en"},"acf":{"post::topline":"","post::excerpt":"Fraudsters are every year robbing Europe\u2019s citizens of \u20ac50 billion in tax money. 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