Discovered by Financial Police of the Provincial Command of Latin aillegal tax collection agency. The owner was reported for illegal exercise of financial activity. The agency – according to what was ascertained by the yellow flames – operated under the aegis of “telematic posts”, carrying out tax collection activities, but in reality it was used to misappropriate the sums paid by unsuspecting citizens in good faith, for the most part more older people.
From 2017 onwards, the owner allegedly collected sums of money from customers intended for the payment of local taxes, without any authorization, issuing false payment receipts and then keeping the entire amounts for herself.
The scam came to light thanks to a series of checks carried out at the Municipality of Latina on hundreds of positions and analyzes of administrative and accounting documentation.
“The investigation activity, which arose from an independent information activity carried out in the area – explains the note from Finance – then merged into the investigation delegation issued by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Latina.
Following checks carried out at the Municipality of Latina on hundreds of positions and the analysis of administrative and accounting documentation, as well as the carrying out of bank checks requested and ordered by the AG and the enforcement of documents of numerous people, involved in various capacities , evidence was reconstructed to hypothesize the commission of a structured fraud mechanism, prolonged over time, which allowed the entrepreneur to collect the relative profit to the detriment of a large number of citizens, mainly elderly people.
From the meticulous investigations carried out, it was in fact found that the sums collected, both by way of taxes and for the “services” performed, were not paid to the Municipality of Latina, despite the fact that the owner of the Agency had issued false payment certificates; in some cases, however, the sums collected were paid partially to the municipal body and only following complaints from customers, who in turn had previously received good-natured notices of payment of local taxes or even notification of tax bills.
The woman, without prejudice to the presumption of innocence until the definition of the procedural process, was therefore referred to the AG for the crimes referred to in the art. 640 (fraud) of the criminal code and art. 131 ter (illegal exercise of financial activity) of the TUB, for having carried out the abusive exercise – in the absence of the required authorizations – of payment service activities and financial intermediation activities carried out towards the public in a professional manner.
The investigative activity, carried out by the Fiamme Gialle Pontine in synergy with the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Latina, – concludes the note – further underlines the strong social vocation of the Corps, which in addition to guaranteeing the typical economic-financial police action aims to to protect the “healthy” part of society and the entire community, taking the field on the front line in combating crimes to protect the correct functioning of the market and the good faith of citizens, especially the most vulnerable, as well as to protect public resources managed by local authorities to guarantee essential services”.
