(Luxembourg, 28 May 2025) – The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Munich (Germany) has secured another conviction in the EPPO investigation cluster Midas, a large-scale VAT fraud case spanning 17 countries and involving an estimated damage of €195 million.
Last week (20 May), the Landshut Regional Court (Landgericht Landshut) sentenced one individual for VAT fraud. The convicted was involved in fraudulent trading of protective face masks, exploiting VAT rules to evade tax payments. His action resulted in an estimated VAT loss of around €600 000. The court sentenced him to one year and 10 months of imprisonment on probation, ordering the confiscation of € 600 000.
EPPO investigation cluster Midas targets a transnational criminal organisation behind a VAT fraud scheme involving the sale of smartphones, small electronic devices, and protective face masks. Led by the EPPO offices in Munich and Cologne, the investigation uncovered a complex network suspected of orchestrating VAT carousel fraud through a system of shell companies and fictitious transactions.
The investigation leading to these convictions was carried out by the Tax Investigation Office in Nuremberg (SKS Nürnberg) and the Tax Investigation Office in Berlin (Steuerfahndung Berlin).
The EPPO is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting, and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.