Johannesburg - Radovan Krejcir’s business manager Ivan Savov has allegedly been using his company to hide the Czech fugitive’s millions.
Savov, who survived the deadly bomb blast on Krejcir’s money lending business in Bedfordview, was arrested afterwards on charges of fraud, money laundering and theft.
On Tuesday, The Star can reveal that Scara Technologies, whose sole director is Savov, is the 12th respondent in court papers filed by Sars in the Pretoria High Court.
Sars believes Savov was using Scara Technologies as a front to fraudulently claim VAT on non-existent sales between front companies.
One of the key testimonies comes from the cousin of George Louca, the man widely suspected to have killed strip club owner Lolly Jackson, who was once one of Krejcir’s known associates.
Yiannakis Louca, a mechanic and sole director of Silverstar Auto, met Krejcir through George in 2007. George, currently in hiding in Cyprus, told his cousin that the Czech was importing spare parts into the country.
The men discussed selling the parts, but Sars claims that when Louca unpacked the parts, he found that they were useless. They didn’t fit any South African vehicle.
“During the following year, Krejcir invited Louca to a meeting at his house. Ivan Savov of Scara was present. Krejcir suggested that they use the spare parts in a VAT scheme, and Savov explained that they could sell the spare parts from one company to another and claim a VAT refund on the sale. Louca agreed to the scheme on the basis that he would receive 25 percent of the money made through the scheme, which would be set up by Savov,” the Sars papers state.
The court document then said invoices were fabricated indicating that Silverstar had sold parts to Scara at a price of R17.8 million (excluding VAT) and R20m (including VAT).
Louca was contacted by Sars, who indicated that Silverstar owed Sars about R2.5m in taxes.
“Louca met with Ivan Savov to discuss payment of the tax liability, and Savov came up with a scheme that Scara provide diamonds to Silverstar in part payment for the spare parts and that Silverstar then sell diamonds in a similar VAT refund scheme,” the papers say.
Sars said all the transactions were fictitious, but Silverstar claimed input VAT in its December 2010 VAT return. Sars, however, did not make payment of the rebates which had been claimed.
Savov is also facing charges relating to the fraudulent transfer of R12.8m from an Absa bank account belonging to Bloemfontein Correctional Contracts to that of a firm of attorneys trading under Faber Goertz Ellis Austin, a director of which claims they received the money on behalf of Savov.
The money purported to be for the purchase of gold commodities in a transaction between Scara Technologies and Jan Charvat - one of the men killed in last week’s blast.
Sars says “it is probable that any assets of which Scara Technologies may be possessed, and any funds standing to the credit of any banking account in its name, in fact belong to Krejcir, and that Scara has been used by him as a conduit or front to hide income”.
Krejcir refused to answer any questions about the Sars preservation order or the contents of the court document.
“I can’t help you. I’m not talking to the media,” he said.
Yiannakis Louca did not respond to calls or to a text message asking for comment.
The Star