Sverrir says authorities’ actions crippled his businesses

Sverrir Einar Eiríksson says actions by police and Iceland’s tax authority crippled the businesses involved in his tax case, mbl.is reported. He was sentenced by Reykjavík District Court to 24 months in prison and ordered to pay just over 104 million krónur in fines for tax offences. Twenty-one months of the prison term were suspended.

In a Facebook post, Eiríksson said the court judgment did not tell the whole story. He argued that actions by some police and tax authority employees caused substantial harm to him and the businesses, and reduced their ability to pay taxes they were required to collect and remit.

He said he had complained about the actions while they were taking place, and that his concerns were not an explanation formed after the judgment. He also said the consequences of the authorities’ actions had not been given sufficient weight when the penalties were set.

Eiríksson called for an investigation into the authorities’ actions, including who made the decisions, the grounds for them and their impact on the businesses.

“Responsibility for tax compliance is taken seriously. Responsibility for the exercise of public authority must also be taken seriously,” he wrote.