The Fraud Control office in the previous year collected 107 million euros. Almost 200 false companies were locked and more than 6,000 financial criminal procedures were completed. “Tax fraud is not a Cavalier violation, but an attack on our community,” said Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer (Spö).
“Tax fraud is very dangerous because it ended the connection of public services on Tuesday,” says Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer (Spö) when the annual balance of the Fraud Control office (FIG).
In the previous year, the ABB checked more than 53,000 employees in 26,644 companies and carried out 148 house searches. 195 fake companies were locked and more than 6,000 financial criminal procedures were completed. A huge increase is particularly eliminated when the false companies are discovered, because 180 fake companies were already completed in the first four months of 2025, said Christian Ackerler, board member of the ABB.
Convicted more than 100 houses
Construction, services and gastronomy are traditional industries that give the ABB a lot of work. Christian Ackerler, board member of the ABB, estimates that there is no fifth tax fraud about construction and services.
Ackerler warned home builders who want to save themselves a few thousand euros through fictional invoices from construction companies: if such a company flies, the customers, ie the house are attached to it. In a specific case, more than 100 houses were convicted and should now live with a mention in the Criminal Register. “I personally dare to doubt that it is worth it”.
Associations in the ABB focus
But recently clubs were new: two perpetrators had been who had registered the clubs as a non -profit and then sold to “sometimes advanced amounts”, sometimes even abroad, Ackerler said from practice. Then a company was pursued under the guise of non -profit welfare. The association authorities noticed a sudden inexplicable increase of start -ups in rural areas. The collaboration of different authorities then led to success.
Illegal dog breeding and manipulative software
According to Ackerler, however, there are fraud cases in all areas. For example, if an assumed family business, with illegal dog breeding, earns 1.4 million euros in sales and does not tax it. A software operator born in China who had sold manipulative software to at least 24 China restaurants that led to the ID of a lower sales tax was also transferred and punished with 2 million euros and limited two years in prison.
In the field of illegal gambling, control pressure is starting to work. 1.9 million euros, for example, was imposed on fines. Very large amounts are involved in sales tax fraud in Europe -wide fraud carousels.
System must be improved
The publicly observable control over tax fraud is crucial for a fair tax system, the entire economy benefits from it, Marterbauer explains. To improve the system, an expert group will be superior to measures, the minister said. In particular, the focus must be on digitization and European cooperation. Tax revenues must increase to 270 million and 450 million euros in 2029.
Marterbauer admitted that this will also require more effort. The ABB budget is currently at 75 million euros. However, it had to be taken into account that “only the existence of the office and its activity ensures that much more is made in a taxable way”. The fight against fraud is also strengthened at European level and “this is exactly what we need”. This is how farmers see it. Without checking measures, the tax would sooner or later decrease.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
