The tax authority and the police suspect Marko Kalev who is business partner of real estate developer Jürgen Järvik and supermodel Carmen Kass of large-scale VAT fraud, writes Äripäev.
The tax authority and the prosecutor’s office are suspecting that Kalev had masterminded a large-scale VAT fraud scheme through Soldina oil terminal in Northeast Estonia which is a bonded warehouse and sold fuel to companies that were controlled by Kalev and his business partners. They drew up fictious pledge contracts and purchase and sale contracts to avoid paying VAT.
All in all, the authorities are investigating 13 private persons and one legal person in connection with the fraud scheme.
Authorities estimated that in the first three months, the state lost EUR 1.3m in unearned VAT as a result of the fraud scheme. It means that the Soldino oil terminal had sold at least 6.5m worth of fuel and other oil products. However, it is believed that the actual extent of the fraud was much bigger.
A year ago Äripäev wrote that Kalev had set up a web of companies and acquired five small service stations. The central connection point was the Soldina oil terminal that is rented by Soldina Õlibaas and belongs to law firm Mullari ja Koch.
Kalev himself has been detained. He was arrested in September in connection with another VAT fraud where a company had issued fictious invoices. His lawyer refused to comment.
Toomas Hõbemägi
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