A defendant has been sentenced to 197 days in prison, with 180 days suspended, and a 240-hour community service order for their involvement in a cross-border VAT fraud scheme. This marks the first case in the Netherlands prosecuted by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), an entity dedicated to investigating and prosecuting crimes against the EU’s financial interests. The fraud, exceeding €10 million, involved the defendant’s company buying goods without VAT and selling them on without remitting the tax over an eighteen-month period. The court considered the severity of the crime, the defendant’s role and criminal record, their medical situation, and the time elapsed when determining the sentence, noting the defendant’s lack of cooperation and refusal to take responsibility.
Source: taxlive.nl
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