Ferreira owns Media Capital, group includes TVI/ CNN Portugal
Portugal’s Central Department of Investigation and Criminal Action has accused businessman Mário Ferreira, owner of Media Capital, the group that owns TVI and CNN Portugal, of qualified tax fraud over exactly the same ‘deal’ that resulted in allegations against him made by former Euro MP Ana Gomes, and which saw Ferreira pursue Gomes through the courts (to no eventual avail…)
Now, ten years ‘after the facts’, public prosecutors have decided there was cause for Ms Gomes’ concerns.
Says a note issued today: “at issue is the sale, in 2015, of a ship, through the interposition of a corporate structure set up in Malta, the purpose of which was to conceal the real value of the sale and avoid it being subject to taxation in Portugal.
“According to the indictment, it was revealed that the actual commercial transaction of buying and selling the ship took place between a Portuguese company and a Norwegian company, with the intervention of the corporate structure set up in Malta being merely instrumental and without commercial content.
“The sale resulted in a gain of €3,726,093.00, which constitutes capital income, subject to withholding tax. This amount, however, was not declared in time, which made it possible to obtain an illegitimate advantage of €1,043,306.04 in IRS (income tax)
“This gain was only subsequently declared and taxed”.
A claim for civil damages has thus been filed on behalf of the state, “in the amount corresponding to the compensatory interest that was found to be missing, totalling €110,124.95 (one hundred and ten thousand, one hundred and twenty-four euros and ninety-five cents)”, says the note, concluding that the Public Prosecutor’s Office led the investigation, assisted by the Tax Authority (AT) – Fraud Investigation and Special Actions Department (DSIFAE).
In addition to Mário Ferreira, two companies are also accused of the same offence, both of which are owned by Mr Ferreira – whose business dealings extend to a sizable stake in the locally-contested lithium mining venture in Boticas, and whose recent claim to real fame came when he became Portugal’s first space tourist. ND
Source: SIC Noticias/ DCIAP
