New figures show a notable rise in the recovery of losses tied to tax crimes in Russia during 2022. Damages assessed reached 81.6 billion rubles, while compensated losses amounted to 50.2 billion rubles. The data reflect a continuing trend of higher estimated damages alongside stronger recovery outcomes in tax crime cases, marking a shift from the previous year.
When comparing 2022 with 2021, the system saw an increase from 72.3 billion rubles in assessed damages to 81.6 billion rubles, and a rise from 44.4 billion rubles in compensation to 50.2 billion rubles. This progression underscores a growing effectiveness in recovering losses through enforcement actions and restitution orders within criminal tax offense investigations.
Officials note that the proportion of recoverable damages has risen steadily over recent years. What started with a 45 percent recovery rate in 2019 climbed to 52 percent in 2020, reached 61 percent in 2021, and stood at 62 percent in 2022. Analysts interpret these figures as evidence that tax crime cases often end with full or near full reimbursement of losses when authorities pursue penalties and restitution vigorously and consistently.
In 2022, more than two thousand criminal cases related to tax offenses were opened, and 1,090 of these were brought before the courts. Tax evasion remains a persistent issue, and the state is committed to countering it through a broad spectrum of measures. This includes the use of coercive actions when necessary to ensure compliance and deter violations, with the overarching aim of strengthening the integrity of the tax system and safeguarding public finances.
A publicly reported case from mid May involved a well-known blogger who agreed to pay 10 million rubles toward a tax debt that exceeded 918 million rubles as part of a criminal proceeding. This example illustrates the scale of liabilities pursued and resolved through legal channels as part of the broader effort to reinforce tax law enforcement and restitution mechanisms across the country.
Overall, the 2022 data highlight a disciplined approach to tax crime investigations, emphasizing accurate damage assessment, assertive restitution, and persistent pursuit of offenders. The trend suggests that with continued enforcement and judicial action, the balance between damages assessed and damages recovered may further improve, contributing to a more robust financial compliance landscape for the tax authorities and the public at large.