José Coelho / Lusa
Corporate structure constituted in Malta “aimed to hide the real values of the sale and avoid its subjection to taxation in Portugal”, says the MP about the alleged crime in the sale of the Atlantis ship, in 2015.
The Public Prosecution Service (MP) accused Mário Ferreirawhich holds the Mystic Invest group, owner of Douro Azul, from qualified tax fraudcrime allegedly committed in, in 2015, to a company based in Malta.
In a note published Wednesday by the Central Department of Research and Criminal Action (DCIAP), under the so-called ‘Ferrry Operation’says that the MP deduced accusation “against an accused (singular person) and against two commercial companies by those represented, for the practice of a crime of qualified tax fraud”.
“In question is for sale, in 2015, of a ship [Atlântida]through the interposition of a corporate structure constituted in Malta, which aimed to hide the real values of the sale and avoid its subjection to taxation in Portugal”Explains Dciap, never mentioning the names of the defendants.
According to the prosecution, “it was indicted that the concrete and effective commercial transaction of purchase and sale of the ship was operationalized between a Portuguese society and a Norwegian company, and the intervention of the corporate structure constituted in Malta was merely instrumental and without commercial content.”
The MP maintains that of the sales operation resulted in a gain of more than 3.7 million euros“Which configures a capital income, subject to retention at the source.”
“This amount, however, was not accurately declared, which enabled the obtaining of an illegitimate advantage, in IRS” over 1 million and 43,000 euros, says Dciap, adding that “this gain only later was declared and taxed.”
In the prosecution, the MP calls, in representation of the State, a civil compensation “in the amount corresponding to that of compensatory interest that has been found to be missing, in the amount” that ascends to 110 thousand euros.
The Public Prosecution Service directed the investigation assisted by the Tax Authority (AT) – Directorate of Fraud Investigation Services and Special Actions (DSIFAE).
Mário Ferreira publicly who has not committed any of the crimes for which he is being investigated. In an interview with SIC Notícias in 2022, he assured that Douro Azul “fulfilled the accounts” and that it should not be “sacrificed in the public square for the revenge of a goofy”-a name he used to characterize the former presidential candidate Ana Gomeswith whom it had one last year.
