‘Dubai Papers’: Paris trial for ‘large-scale tax fraud operation’ begins

A Paris trial began on 2 November into an alleged international tax fraud network run through Hélin International, which prosecutors say systematically helped French taxpayers conceal assets and evade tax. Thirteen people, including nine firm executives, three lawyers and an accountant, face charges including tax fraud, money laundering and criminal conspiracy; the case is scheduled to run for a month.

Prosecutors allege the network helped 322 French taxpayers hide more than €200 million using 658 offshore companies, overseas bank accounts and cash or anonymous prepaid cards. The operation moved from Switzerland to the United Arab Emirates in 2009, and investigators obtained hundreds of thousands of internal documents from an anonymously delivered USB drive. Twenty clients have already been convicted, with tax authorities recovering €23.6 million and courts imposing €9.3 million in fines and confiscations.