Title: Austrian Tax Investigation Department Secures €63.18 Million in Tax Evasion Cases in 2023

The Austrian Tax Investigation Department of the Anti-Fraud Office presented a remarkable achievement in the fight against tax evasion during the year 2023. Following are the key results and findings.

Successes in Tax Evasion Cases

• €48.46 million in unpaid taxes recovered: The department secured a substantial amount of €48.46 million in taxes from tax evaders, demonstrating their effectiveness in closing 210 cases.
• €100 million in penalties imposed: Besides the recovered taxes, the investigations led to penalties worth approximately €100 million for tax evasion schemes.
• Focus on various sectors: The cases covered a wide spectrum of industries, with a specific emphasis on the construction industry.
• International collaboration: The department also targeted VAT fraud and cases from the transport sector, leading to a significant impact.

Finance Minister’s Perspective

Finance Minister Magnus Brunner acknowledged the team’s hard work and commitment to combatting tax evasion, stating, “These successful investigations underpin our commitment to unmasking those who unfairly advantage themselves at the expense of honest taxpayers.”

Operational Statistics

The department’s investigative work involved:

• 157 house searches
• 255 account openings
• 4 arrests
• Numerous tax and VAT audits that resulted in €14.72 million
• Advanced IT searches with 65.66 terabytes of data analyzed

Challenges and Preparation

Despite the recent successes, Alfred Hacker, Chairman of the Anti-Fraud Office, highlighted upcoming challenges:

• Digitalization: The increasing use of digital tools in tax evasion schemes demands adaptive investigative methods.
• International cooperation: Enhanced collaboration with international regulatory bodies is essential for combating cross-border tax fraud.

Christian Ackerler, the Head of the Tax Investigation Department, emphasized the complexity of the fraud cases uncovered, spanning multiple industries and utilizing diverse tactics. Effective collaboration with judicial authorities and state institutions is crucial to their achievements.

As tax evasion schemes become increasingly sophisticated, regulatory bodies must stay vigilant and continue their efforts to expose and combat these illicit practices. The Anti-Fraud Office’s successful approach sets a precedent for other enforcement agencies, demonstrating the importance of a proactive, responsive approach to the ever-changing tax landscape.