The Greek police released detailed information on the way of operation of the ring of tax officials who extorted citizens in Corfu.

In particular, as it emerged, at least from May 2024, the members of the criminal organization were facilitating, omitting or performing tax authority procedures contrary to their official duties as employees, as well as blackmailing businessmen, where, taking advantage of their status, they demanded money sums as a consideration, so that their tax outstandings are processed.

The demand for the money was made, primarily, through a private person – accountant, member of the organization, in order to prevent the members – employees from having direct contact with their victims, while at the same time they took care to take special countermeasures both during their actions and against the communications between them.

The action of the leader of the organization

As it turned out, the leader of the organization was responsible for coordinating, receiving and distributing to the other members the sums of money, while he did not hesitate to threaten employees and accountants who might leak the organization’s activity. At the same time, he ensured appropriate information about counter-surveillance methods, so that the operational members of the organization would feel unpersecuted, during the -on his order- the targeted controls they were carrying out.

Furthermore, the other tax officials were essential for the operation of the organization, as due to their duties they either exercised direct supervision and control over the other employees, thus determining the speed and manner of handling the cases, or carried out on-the-spot audits of businesses at the command of the headquarters member.

Finally, the accountant was an intermediary between the employees and the taxpayers, charged with the direct contact and communication between the Auditing Authority and the auditees. Also, according to his role, he received and delivered sums of money from the taxpayers to the employees, himself ensuring preferential treatment of his clients from the D.O.Y.

The police statement:

The Internal Affairs Service of the Security Forces dismantled a criminal organization, consisting of tax officials and an accountant, who were active in facilitation, acts or omissions of procedures, tax authority, as well as extortion of businessmen, in order to receive illegal sums of money.

In order to dismantle the criminal organization, a police operation was carried out on Thursday, October 10, 2024, in an island area, in the context of which a total of -5- members were arrested, of which -4- employees and -1- a private accountant, while the case file also includes -4- people.

A case file was filed against them – as the case may be – for criminal organization, bribery and bribery of an employee, complicity in bribery, breach of duty and extortion by complicity.

There was a complaint regarding the illegal action of two D.O.Y. employees, who, taking advantage of their status, demanded the sum of -60,000- euros from a businessman, in order to settle his pending case.

In the context of the investigation, in which special investigative techniques and elements obtained from the evaluation and analysis of informational and pre-investigative data were utilized, the existence of a criminal organization, with continuous action, a specific structure and distinct roles, in which D.O. employees participated, emerged. Y. insular area and private accountant.

In particular, as it emerged, at least from May 2024, the members of the criminal organization were facilitating, omitting or performing tax authority procedures contrary to their official duties as employees, as well as blackmailing businessmen, where, taking advantage of their status, they demanded money sums as a consideration, so that their tax outstandings are processed.

The demand for the money was made, primarily, through a private person – accountant, member of the organization, in order to prevent the members – employees from having direct contact with their victims, while at the same time they took care to take special countermeasures both during their actions and against the communications between them.

As it turned out, the leader of the organization was responsible for coordinating, receiving and distributing to the other members the sums of money, while he did not hesitate to threaten employees and accountants who might leak the organization’s activity. At the same time, he ensured appropriate information about counter-surveillance methods, so that the operational members of the organization would feel unpersecuted, during the -on his order- the targeted controls they were carrying out.

Furthermore, the other tax officials were essential for the operation of the organization, as due to their duties they either exercised direct supervision and control over the other employees, thus determining the speed and manner of handling the cases, or carried out on-the-spot audits of businesses at the command of the headquarters member.

Finally, the accountant was an intermediary between the employees and the taxpayers, charged with the direct contact and communication between the Auditing Authority and the auditees. Also, according to his role, he received and delivered sums of money from the taxpayers to the employees, himself ensuring preferential treatment of his clients from the D.O.Y.

From the searches carried out in houses, vehicles, other places as well as from the possession of the accused, among others, the following were found and confiscated:

-42,480- euros in total,
-1,770- dollars
– mobile phones, agenda and tax documents.

So far, it has been established that, since the end of May 2024, the criminal organization is involved in -8- cases, while it has been established that its members demanded a total of at least -183,000- euros and managed to receive, at least, the amount of -38,000- euros.

Those arrested were taken to the competent Prosecutor’s Office, where they were referred to an investigator and given a deadline to apologize.