From Hildburg Bruns
The truth about loopholes, shell companies, tax havens – data leaks repeatedly reveal the names of tax evaders. In Berlin alone, 610 cases have been reported since 2018, as the tax administration informed a member of parliament.
“Tax fraud is fraud against all honest taxpayers. Because it comes at the expense of the general public. This reduces the state’s income with which our community is financed – such as schools, daycare centers, hospitals, roads or security forces,” criticizes MP Sebastian Schlüsselburg (40, Left).
Based on purchased data leaks and CDs, the federal government forwarded the following to the state of Berlin:
► Panama Papers (documents for 214,488 letterbox companies): 176 tax cases in Berlin in 2018 and 2020.
► Malta leaks (corporations avoided taxes): 212 cases in 2019
► Paradise Papers (tax evasion by billionaires and global corporations): 12 cases in 2021 and 2022
► Bahamas leaks (information about shell companies and foundations): 16 cases in 2021
► Dubai Papers (transactions of undeclared funds): 186 cases in 2021
► Offshore leaks (hidden assets in the Cayman Islands and Singapore, among others): 8 cases in 2022
The authorities do not collect statistics in which districts the exposed tax evaders live or what sums were involved in the criminal proceedings.
Demands that tax investigators be allowed to systematically listen in on phone calls: Sebastian Schlüsselburg (40, left) Photo: The Left
Member Schluesselburg demands: “We must further increase the pressure to prosecute fraudsters in tax havens. To achieve this, the Finance Senator must strengthen the tax investigation staff.”
Schlesselburg also suggests taking Baden-Württemberg as an example. “The tax investigation department there has its own system for telecommunications monitoring. Then you also have to provide information about how often you actually wiretapped and whether it turned into a criminal case.“