TIRANA, November 16 – Five people were arrested by order of the prosecution authority of serious crimes, SPAK, as responsible for a fraud scheme with fictitious invoices in the works carried out in the incinerator of Fier, southern Albania, which has caused the state a loss of about 565 million ALL.
Six others were declared wanted, as they were not found by the Police.
“The arrested are Arben Dervishaj, Regan Merdani, Ribert Shabani, Enver Sheshi, Gentian Zifla. While those declared wanted are Silvester Dreza, Arjola Kodra, Arber Denizi, Juri Ymeraj, Luran Dusha, Giussepe Ciaffaglione,” said SPAK as quoted by local media on Wednesday.
SPAK said that the citizen, Arben Dervishaj, in the capacity of supervisor of the works of the concessionaire company, approved and then reflected on fictitious works of the concessionaire company for services that were not performed and equipment that were not bought worth 4 millions euros.
According to the prosecution authority, Dervishaj benefited from payments and trips abroad from Klodian Zoto, the main shareholder of the concession company “Integrated Technology”, who is at large. The Italian administrator of the company “Integrated Energy BV SPV” is also wanted for the suspicions that he gave salaries to the father of Alqi Bllako, Edmond Bllako, in the form of a bribe in the amount of about 15 million lek.
Headed by Klodian Zoto, the other persons under investigation are administrators of companies that implemented the scheme of issuing fictitious invoices for work that was not performed. From the total of 565 million lek, 359 million are fictitious invoices, 60 million is the damage caused by VAT, while 146 million is the money that, according to SPAK, the former Minister, Lefter Koka benefited from this scheme.
According to SPAK, payments have been made by the state to the incinerator company in the amount of 4 billion and 202 million lek until June 30, 2022. /Argumentum.al