Italian police dismantle fraud scheme targeting 500 million euros in tax credits

Italian police announced Thursday that they had dismantled a massive fraud scheme targeting more than 500 million euros in state tax credits allocated for energy-saving home improvements. The scheme involved fictitious renovation work and false documentation designed to exploit the superbonus programme, a state incentive introduced during the pandemic to stimulate construction and energy efficiency upgrades.

The scale of the fraud—half a billion euros—underscores vulnerabilities in how the Italian government administers tax incentives for home renovation. According to police, the scheme operated by creating false invoices and documentation for work that was never performed, allowing fraudsters to claim credits they were not entitled to receive.