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Milan police believe Google dodged 227 million euros in taxes

Xinhua, January 29, 2016 Adjust font size:

Finance police in Italy's Milan said on Thursday that Google had dodged around 227 million euros (over 248 million U.S. dollars) in taxes, according to sources quoted by ANSA news agency.

The sources said the tax evasion in Italy by the U.S. Internet giant dated back to the 2009-2013 period, according to a report of a tax audit conducted by finance police in the business capital.

Google was suspected to have evaded the taxes through a "stable hidden organization in Italy." ANSA said the report was due to be delivered to the Italian revenue agency later in the day.

The revenue agency will inform Google of a tax inspection, which the sources added could be the first step towards "an agreement between the group and the Italian authorities to close the tax dispute with an eventual reimbursement."

Google in a statement reportedly denied any wrongdoing saying that the group "respects the tax laws in all the countries it operates in" and "continues to work with the competent authorities."

According to media reports, Google agreed last week to pay 130 million pounds (nearly 181 million U.S. dollars) in back taxes to the British authorities.

The move reportedly prompted criticism as the sum was considered as too little compared with the profits made by the group in the UK. Endit