More than 60 million euros in taxes evaded in Saxony

Tax investigators uncovered around 61.4 million euros in evaded taxes in Saxony last year. This is the amount of the 2025 final judgments and penalty orders in local criminal tax proceedings, as the Ministry of Finance reported in response to a minor question from Susanne Schaper (Left Party), a member of the state parliament.

How much of the unpaid money was recovered is therefore not recorded. A total of 1,319 proceedings were completed. Of these, 250 ended in penalty orders or sentences, while 629 were discontinued subject to conditions, such as the payment of tax debts. The total tax revenue in Saxony is stated at just under 24 billion euros.

Third-highest sum since 2010

Although the sum fell by around two thirds last year compared to 2024 with 176 million euros in evaded taxes, it is the third-highest since 2010. "We can only speculate about the reasons for the decline, perhaps there were fewer high-volume proceedings," said Schaper when asked. She assumes that the number of unreported cases is significantly higher, as the figure only includes cases that have been detected.

The government must expand the tax investigation department so that more cases can be uncovered and more evaded taxes can be recovered, Schaper demanded. "Every staff position in the tax investigation department brings in more money than it costs." The tax offices need to systematically investigate companies and millionaires in particular.

Significantly more reports of tax evasion

The number of reports of tax evasion has risen significantly according to the ministry: 9,640 reports were received in 2025, in roughly equal numbers by the three regional tax offices in Dresden, Leipzig and Chemnitz. That was around 1,000 more than in 2024. The number is approaching the five-digit figures for the years 2010 to 2014.