Businessman Convicted for 5-Year Wage Fraud Scheme
A businessman in the courier and vehicle services sector has been convicted for wage fraud, affecting 25 employees over five years. Despite the severity of the case, no firm or individual has been identified as the mastermind behind the operation.
The businessman was sentenced to one year and six months imprisonment for withholding and misappropriating wages in 208 cases. He manipulated time records to underreport working hours, including travel time to loading points and return travel time, which went unnoticed by employees due to a fixed monthly net wage agreement.
To further reduce costs, he recorded daytime working hours as night shifts, allowing him to pay out wage components as tax- and contribution-free night supplements. This practice, combined with underpaying social security contributions, resulted in damages totaling over 106,000 euros to contribution collection agencies over the five-year period. The 'originating principle' applies for calculating social security contributions, regardless of whether the due wages were actually paid.
The businessman's imprisonment was suspended on probation, and the verdict is final. Despite the conviction, no specific information has been found regarding a firm or person behind the courier and vehicle services that was initially suspected of being involved in the wage fraud.
