German assets in the emirate: Scholz buys secret tax data from Dubai


German assets in the emirate
Scholz buys secret tax data from Dubai

In the fight against tax fraud, Finance Minister Scholz buys explosive data from an anonymous informant in Dubai for the first time. It’s about assets and real estate in the tax haven – thousands of Germans are also affected. For some, this could now have criminal consequences.

According to a magazine report, Federal Finance Minister Olaf Scholz had the Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) buy secret data for the first time in order to uncover massive tax fraud. This is comprehensive information on assets in Dubai, reports the “Spiegel”.

Millions of taxpayers are affected, including several thousand Germans who, among other things, have land and real estate in the Gulf emirate. When asked, a spokeswoman for the finance ministry merely stated that individual reports are generally not commented on.

According to the report, Scholz expects the purchase to uncover significant cross-border tax offenses. The data provided insights into assets that had been hidden from the tax authorities in Dubai, according to the ministry. In addition to clearing up criminal offenses, the data also ensured that the tax authorities would have full access to cross-border transactions. This would avoid loss of income.

According to the information, the data was offered by an anonymous informant, and the purchase cost the BZSt around two million euros. After the secret handover of the material, the data is currently with the Bonn authority. Next week they would be handed over to the tax authorities of the federal states so that they could examine aspects of criminal tax law and, if necessary, initiate investigations. So far, only federal states had bought tax data, the procedure is considered controversial.

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