The Interior Ministry announced a multiple increase in tax crimes of individuals

In Russia, the number of tax crimes committed by individuals has doubled in a year and by legal entities by a third. This was reported to "Izvestia" on September 23 in the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

"We inform you that according to the state statistical reports in the first half of 2026, compared to the same period last year, there was a twofold increase in the number of registered crimes under Article 198 of the Criminal Code ("Evasion of an individual from paying taxes, fees and (or) an individual paying insurance premiums from paying insurance premiums"). The number of registered crimes under Article 199 ("Evasion from taxes, fees payable by an organization, and (or) insurance premiums payable by an organization paying insurance premiums" of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation increased by 34.5% during the specified period)," the ministry explained.

This is how the department explained the adoption of large-scale measures to tighten control over business, which "Izvestia" wrote about earlier. One of the measures should be the creation of a federal register of front persons that businesses use to avoid paying taxes. It is necessary to accumulate information about such citizens and increase the effectiveness of operational investigative activities in this area.

"The information contained in the register will simplify the exchange of information and make it possible to more effectively prevent illegal tax evasion schemes," the ministry's press service explained.

In addition, by March 1, the Federal Tax Service (FTS) must develop a mechanism for canceling tax returns filed on behalf of front persons, as well as develop a unified approach to detecting signs of forgery (falsification) of invoices and (or) tax returns.

In turn, the regional and republican departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as the departments of the Ministry of Transport in the federal districts, have been instructed to take exhaustive measures to identify the property of the taxpayers being audited in order to subsequently seize it.

Money apart: Russia will create a blacklist of fake taxpayers

The authorities will strengthen control over the payment of VAT, as well as over the property of unscrupulous businessmen

Artem Sheikin, Deputy Chairman of the Council for the Development of the Digital Economy at the Federation Council, announced on September 13 that fraudsters had begun using a new scheme to deceive Russians by writing letters about the need to adjust their tax returns. Sheikin warned that the presence of the department's logo, the sender's name and the official design of the letter does not guarantee its authenticity.