Tax crackdown on lawyers, doctors

Three professionals concealed 12.5 million euros in revenue, SDOE reveals

A recent crackdown by agents of the Financial Crimes Squad (SDOE) on Greek doctors and lawyers has highlighted widespread tax evasion with a handful of professionals having concealed millions of euros in income, Kathimerini has learned.

According to SDOE, three of the worst alleged offenders – two lawyers and a doctor – failed to declare some 12.5 million eu- ros to tax authorities.

A well-known Athens labor lawyer, involved in several highprofile trials, concealed 7 million euros in income, another Piraeusbased lawyer failed to declare 3.47 million euros, and a surgeon from Thessaloniki hid 2.1 million euros in income, SDOE’s investigation revealed.

The findings of the SDOE agents confirmed the suspicions of International Monetary Fund officials who have long pressed the Greek authorities to pay particular attention to the legal and medical sectors – and to members of other professions whose assets do not tally with their declared income – in their tax evasion crackdowns.

Checks by SDOE agents in Attica revealed that 22 businesses issued nearly 2,500 bogus invoices to cover nonexistent transactions worth some 55 million euros. Most of the businesses were manufacturers of agricultural pesticides and household detergents, according to sources.

One company on the list compiled by SDOE, whose chief representative is currently in jail, is alleged to have issued 9 million euros in bogus invoices to various businesses.