Reggio Emilia, tax fraud with use of false invoices for over 37 million euros. Searches and seizures for approximately 12 million euros throughout Italy

Military personnel of the Guardia di Finanza and agents of the State Police, on behalf of the Public Prosecutor's Office at the Court of Reggio Emilia and under the direction of the Prosecutor, Dr. Calogero Gaetano PACI, they are executing a personal and local search order and a precautionary seizure order, relating to the illicit proceeds of a large-scale tax fraud, issued by the GIP of the Reggio Emilia Court, Dr. Luca Ramponi.

The investigation, called TITANO, follows what was already done last June (seizure of 6 million euros and 80 searches, against 50 suspects), in which an entire organization dedicated to the creation of shell companies was dismantled, attributable to individuals resident in the province of Reggio Emilia and already involved in the investigation called "Billions", which had issued, in the period 2018 - 2022, invoices for non-existent transactions for approximately € 62.000.000,00, in favor of third-party companies.

The precautionary seizure order – aimed at users of fake invoices – It was issued by the Judicial Authority against 37 companies present on the national territory and 41 of the legal representatives and/or administrators of the same companies, for which the Judge ruled that, thanks to the tax fraud perpetrated, they obtained over 12.000.000 euros of illicit profit.

The companies operate (and in some cases, operated, since they have ceased their activity) in diversified economic sectors, such as construction, wholesale trade of packaging, clothing, trade of software and computers. Also involved are some companies managed by ethnic Chinese, in the area of Milano.

At the end of the investigation activities, it was ascertained that the 37 companies involved used, in their respective annual declarations for VAT and direct taxes, invoices for non-existent transactions received from the shell companies for over € 37.000.000,00, in a time frame ranging from 2018 to 2022.

Concurrently with the execution of the seizure decree, 9 searches were carried out on the subjects (5 individuals and 4 companies) who, on the basis of the investigative findings also carried out using the databases used by the Guardia di Finanza, were found to be recipients of the FOI issued by the shell companies involved, which were found to be of particular investigative interest.

Overall, Operation Titano involves 50 individuals under investigation, 44 companies involved throughout Italy.

During a house search in Gualtieri, a greenhouse was found, where approximately 70 marijuana plants were being carefully cultivated.

The holder was arrested red-handed.