Cagliari entrepreneur accused of tax fraud using shell companies

The Guardia di Finanza has seized approximately 160,000 euros following an investigation into a tax fraud scheme operating in Cagliari between 2019 and 2021. The investigation, conducted by the Economic-Financial Police Nucleus of Cagliari, uncovered a system involving a local company and eleven suspected “shell companies” located in Lombardy, Lazio, and Tuscany.

These shell companies, which are reportedly linked to Chinese citizens and were previously flagged by the Agenzia delle Entrate as inactive, allegedly specialized in issuing invoices for non-existent transactions. An entrepreneur in Cagliari, active in the trade of “unspecialized products,” is accused of using these fictitious costs, totaling over 345,000 euros, to illicitly reduce tax liabilities.

During searches at the entrepreneur's residence, authorities discovered more than 100,000 euros in cash hidden inside a wall safe concealed within a bedroom. Investigators noted that while a small portion of the transactions were processed via bank transfer, the majority were settled in cash to avoid anti-money laundering thresholds.