Pascal René Felley, of 58 year old, residing in Hungary, known as the “King of Fruit”, and the company Olicorsos, Lda, based in Beja, managed by the Swiss businessman were sentenced by the Court of Beja to fines for committing the continued crime of abuse of fiscal trust.
The “Fruit King” was sentenced to 160 fine days, the fee of 7 euros/day, which makes up the global amount of 1.120 euros, what they correspond to 106 subsidiary prison days. In turn, the company will have to pay 1.400 euros, resulting from the penalty of 200 fine days, the fee of 7 euros / day.
The defendant did not appear at trial, taking place in March of this year, while the process is pending, payment of amounts owed to the Federal Revenue Service (AT) and which he had unlawfully retained in his possession.
Pascal René Felley, did not deliver to AT the amount of 18.554,81 euros, relating to tax on property income, resulting from the conclusion of two land lease contracts in the municipality of Ferreira do Alentejo. In 15 February 2013, paid 92.774,02 euros relating to rent 2022, withholding at source 25% regarding taxes owed.
The company Olicorsos,Lda delivered the declaration, but its manager retained the amounts that did not reach the AT coffers, which triggered the criminal process after the land rental company made a deduction from the total IRC collection, which allowed him to recover his 18.554,81 euros, not handed over by the defendants.
Fairfruit Industry, a ruinous investment in Beja
In April 2017 the Beja City Council provided a space for 10.400 m2 in the business reception area, to install a product packaging factory there, that prior to breeding near 35 jobs and which is being abandoned.
The work cost more than 13,7 million, received over 8,2 million euros of financial support from the European Union through the Competitiveness and Internationalization Operational Program.
A Fairfruit Group, based in Switzerland and present in Hungary, Austria, France, Spain and Portugal, where the focus was the production of stone fruit and also olive oil.
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
