SDOE imposes 142 million euros in fines on businesses for bogus invoices

The Financial Crimes Squad (SDOE) imposed a total of 142 million euros in fines on Greek entrepreneurs who issued or received bogus invoices and to self-employed professionals who did not issue receipts for the provision of their services, the Finance Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

The 25 cases targeted by SDOE officials include advertising firms in the affluent central Athens district of Kolonaki and in the suburb of Nea Filadelfia, who issued bogus tax details, a dermatologist in Kolonaki who failed to issue 1.4 million euros worth of receipts over a three-year period as well as individuals who concealed income of up to 5 million euros each from tax authorities.

The Finance Ministry has faced mounting criticism for cracking down hard on Greeks with relatively small tax debts to the state while allowing larger-scale evaders to go unpunished.