CENTRAL ANTI-CORRUPTION BUREAU Indictment Filed Against 41 Individuals - News

An investigation conducted by officers of the CBA Regional Office in Kraków and experts from the Mazovian Customs and Tax Office revealed that an organised criminal group had operated between 2013 and 2022, issuing, distributing and using fraudulent VAT invoices. As part of the criminal scheme, more than 1,200 VAT invoices were introduced into circulation, falsely documenting taxable business transactions.

Issuance and Circulation of Fraudulent VAT Invoices

The investigation focused, among other matters, on criminal activities involving the issuance and circulation of VAT invoices that did not reflect genuine business transactions. Findings by the CBA and KAS indicate that nearly 1,000 entities across Poland were involved in the scheme involving fraudulent invoices.

Those indicted include intermediaries and an accountant who offered "cost optimisation" through the acquisition of invoices documenting fictitious expenses. The intermediaries obtained and distributed fraudulent VAT invoices to other businesses. In addition to facilitating the circulation of invoices containing false information, they also obtained such invoices for their own business activities.

Effective cooperation between the CBA and the Mazovian Customs and Tax Office enabled the authorities to efficiently uncover and dismantle the illegal scheme.

Motions for Convictions Without Trial

The indictment against 41 individuals was submitted to the Regional Court in Warsaw. In the case of 32 of the 41 defendants, the prosecutor filed motions for convictions without trial. Police supervision was imposed on 36 individuals, while financial sureties totalling PLN 535,000 were imposed on 12 individuals. In addition, assets worth more than PLN 3.9 million were secured in relation to nine defendants.

The case constitutes one part of a broader investigation conducted by the Warsaw-Praga District Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw.

CBA Press Team