Posh restaurant gets mammoth 1 million euro fine for tax evasion

For four years, on the receipts the restaurant printed, the illegal software, which it had installed, automatically discounted from 90% to as much as 99%(!) on the amounts, which eventually went into the cash register’s memory.

These are the two very important violations, which made even the experienced auditors of the Independent Public Revenue Authority-AADE gape in disbelief.

Where did they find all this?

The fine was given to an expensive fish restaurant, run by a entrepreneur, in the upscale neighborhood of Kolonaki, which also has branches in Monastiraki, Glyfada, Nea Erythraia, Chalandri, Nea Smyrni and Paros.

Complaints

The inspectors audited the restaurant after complaints that the restaurant was issuing only temporary receipts – the well-known order slips.

The audit, which they carried out, concerned the period from 26/11/2015 to 19/01/2020.

The electronic tax data (.txt files) were seized, and with the special software they calculated the company’s income.

Subsequently, bank secrecy was lifted and accounts were opened through the Bank Account Registry System (S.M.T.L.) and in addition the banks were asked for detailed POS transactions. Cross-checking the electronic tax .txt files with data from tax books, bank accounts and detailed P.O.S. movements, they found a multitude of violations.

At the same time, the memory of the tax software was confiscated and checked.

The total fines and surcharges, which the company is required to pay, reach a million euros.

Auditors are now investigating the remaining stores, which are separate businesses.