The Guardia di Finanza in Prato uncovered an alleged €43 million tax fraud linked to the registration of German luxury cars in Italy without paying VAT. The investigation, coordinated by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office in Bologna, targets an alleged criminal network using shell companies and false invoices.
Authorities seized assets including eight companies, seven plots of land, three residential properties, a dealership, 41 vehicles (Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche) valued at around €3.5 million, and over 50 bank accounts holding more than €1.2 million. Searches were conducted at residences, businesses, and other properties connected to the suspects.
The probe began with a complaint from a buyer who faced difficulties registering a used car. Investigators uncovered a structured system involving complicit dealerships, targeted vehicle selection from German sellers, and import practices that evaded VAT, with periodic closures and re-openings of tax IDs to obscure liability. The operation involved Guardia di Finanza units from Ferrara, Bologna, Andria, Trani, Molfetta, and Crotone.