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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 15-04-22
CONTENTS
[01] Leonidas Bobolas arrested for tax evasion, released after paying
1.8 million euros
[01] Leonidas Bobolas arrested for tax evasion, released after paying
1.8 million euros
ANA-MPA -- Ellaktor CEO Leonidas Bobolas appeared before a public
prosecutor accused of major tax evasion on Wednesday but was subsequently
released after paying the sum of 1.8 million euros, based on favourable
measures recently passed by the finance ministry for those repaying
sums owed to the state.
Bobolas had been arrested on the basis of evidence uncovered in the
so-called Lagarde-list investigation, which showed a discrepancy of 1.866
million euros between his declared income and the deposits at a Swiss
branch of the bank HSBC. The list has been leaked by an HSBC employee
to French authorities and was then forwarded to the Greek government by
then French finance Christine Lagarde.
The total amount owed by Bobolas' had subsequently reached 4.1 million
euros, after the addition of fines and interest.
According to sources at the public prosecutors' department, Bobolas
had been asked to proceed with the payment of this amount in mid-April
but had raised legal objections. The file was then forwarded to the
Centre for Investigating Very High Income Taxpayers, which set a find
that was also not paid and then initiated legal action against him,
sending the case to the Financial Prosecutors. It was then forwarded to
the first-instance court prosecutors with instructions to proceed with
his immediate arrest, in accordance with the law.
The counsel representing Bobolas, on their part, claim their client
appeared before authorities voluntarily in order to settle his debt
and note that he previously went to the Centre for Investigating Very
High Income Taxpayers for this purpose, proceeding with a special act
of settlement on the basis of the 2015 law for tax debtors.
Out of the 4.0 million euro owed, Bobolas paid 1.8 million euros in order
to avoid a criminal prosecution for tax evasion and for legalising income
from illegal activity and was subsequently set free. After the process
of payment is complete, an order for his acquittal will be issued.
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