Tax Fraud | Tax Evasion

Munich is often referred to as a “world city with a heart” – primarily referring to the events the city offers, attracting millions of tourists: Oktoberfest, the Viktualienmarkt or the sports clubs. The famous “Mia san mia” conveys a sense of community, which, in everyday life, is often sorely lacking in Munich, as the upper class and the lower strata have almost nothing in common – except, perhaps, criminal tendencies for various motives.

Our economic investigators in Munich repeatedly find in their research that even, and sometimes especially, high earners tend toward illegal activities. One of these is tax evasion. It occurs in many different forms, which not only harm the tax authorities and, thus, the general public, but can also create specific additional burdens or disadvantages for companies: for example, undeclared work that simultaneously benefits competitors (breach of secrecy, industrial espionage, poaching clients) or substantial unlawful tax savings, which allow illegally gained competitive advantages. Kurtz Investigations Munich investigates individuals and companies in a manner admissible in court to prove tax fraud: +49 89 7007 4301.

Poor and Rich With the Same “Hobby” | Prominent Offenders

In our metropolis on the Isar, there are approximately 1,500 millionaires (2024), whose lives any “average person” would likely describe as carefree. Yet, this is apparently not the case, as countless tax evasion cases over the past years and decades suggest a recurring concern for high-income earners: How can I increase my wealth further, and above all, how can I prevent the tax authorities from accessing it? The list of famous “role models” regarding tax fraud reads like a “Who’s Who” of German celebrities: starting with Peter Graf, father of tennis player Steffi Graf, who, as his daughter’s manager, failed to declare income equivalent to €21.5 million and was sentenced in 1997 to three years and nine months in prison, to Boris Becker, who failed to declare €1.7 million and received two years’ probation in 2002, and Uli Hoeneß, who “invested” €28.5 million abroad without informing the tax authorities and was sentenced to three years and six months’ imprisonment in 2014. One might get the impression that tax fraud is a sort of hobby for high earners, as this crime is financially unnecessary for any of them.

Undeclared Activity as the Primary Suspect in Tax Fraud Investigations

Against Munich’s rich and prominent, there are around 250,000 residents with incomes below the subsistence level (2013). These are mostly long-term unemployed, low-wage earners, seniors on small pensions, and children of migrants requiring state support to secure their livelihood. A major driver of poverty is the surge in rental prices. On average, Munich residents spend about half of their net income on rent, with additional costs for energy, food, clothing, etc. Little remains for activities that bring joy, such as cinema or dining out, let alone holidays. Many therefore seek additional sources of income: undeclared work. While it may sound like a cliché, it is not: hairdressers, plumbers, tilers, electricians, IT specialists, homemakers – undeclared work spans all age groups and professions. Few object to a cleaning lady earning a little extra once a week. Nevertheless, for most of them, finances are extremely tight, yet tax fraud is no trivial offence; it is a criminal act. Whether a few wealthy citizens conceal millions or thousands of people hide smaller amounts, the damage is immense – for the state, society, and for all of us.

If, for example, you, as an employer, suspect that an employee is conducting undeclared secondary work to the detriment of your business, or you, as a private individual, believe that your ex-partner is avoiding maintenance obligations through undeclared earnings, contact our detectives in Munich: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenchen.de. We observe the person in question to provide you with evidence admissible in court.