Tax officials identify 100 fraudulent tax advisors, saving €414m

DutchNews, May 3, 2016

Photo: DutchNews.nl

Finance ministry investigators have tracked down 100 tax advisors who have helped 75,000 people cut their tax bills by making up tax deductions, according to the Volkskrant.

 The tax office estimates it has saved €414m for the treasury and expects to raise millions more through fines and back claims, the paper said. 

Officials use data mining techniques to comb through tax returns for suspicious patterns. Health costs and donations to good causes are the most common deductions involved in fraud. 

The tax office began a clamp down on tax advisors in 2013 after it emerged hundreds of people were being helped to wrongly claim housing and child benefit. 

Of the 100 tax advisors officials have traced, 21 were taken to court and out-of court settlements were reached with 79. 

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