european-union fraud forgery
Close family member got me intro trouble in my home country, unsure how to proceed
<p>I have immigrated from European countryA to European countryB several years ago. Before I left I was operating a small business with a close family member, they were taking care of the accounting/tax issues with their close accountant. I did not care to check very extensively about any wrong doings because they were family and I could not comprehend a fraudalent action on their behalf (never do this kids).</p>

<p>Long story short I have discovered the following:</p>

<p>1) Without my knowledge or consent they opened a bank account and gave two checks worth 16.000 euros. Of course the money did not exist in the bank, the checks were denied, I was procecuted and trialed without me knowing everything or attending a trial. This happened more than 5 years ago, I did not know it because the mail was stolen from my house at that period from the same person. Everything was forged and nothing bears my signature</p>

<p>2) Some debts on my behalf were created to vendors, debt recognition forms were signed on my behalf, I have never seen or signed those papers</p>

<p>3) Taxes of almost 30.000 euros were unpaid.</p>

<p>Now some good things
1) Proving the forgery I assume should be easy, I write with my left and the signatures do not resemble mine at all, they do not even exist in my official documents, my signature is totally different</p>

<p>2) The person who did this (as I learned recently) has been convicted of forgery and usury 10 years back and my record (besides these) is clean. Plus my job is totally different at this point and I can provide my paychecks which will definetely show that I was in no need of any kind of financial assistance for many years (remote worker with western European salary in eastern Europe)</p>

<p>3) There are many clients who are willing to testify that they have never seen me, and vendors, and that they have been dealing with that person for the entirety of their transactions</p>

<p>4) They have unknowledged on emails their guilt (by starting to pay off the debt in the tax services)</p>

<p>My questions mostly have to do whether these actions will have an impact in my life in this country which I have strived to build:</p>

<p>1) Can the tax services in countryA confiscate accounts that are opened in countryB by me?
2) Do you think based on these that I have case?</p>

<p>My primary concern is whether they can confiscate or do something to my property here until I figure all this out.</p>

<p>The following answer applies in the situation where all countries involved are member states of the European Union:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Can the tax services in countryA confiscate accounts that are opened in countryB by me?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>All countries in the European Union (EU) are party to the Brussels Regulation (Regulation No. 1215/2012), this regulation means that judgments made in one EU member state may be enforced in another EU member state, against those person who judgment is made against.</p>

<p>It may take some time, procedurally, for the judgment creditor to do this, but they are entitled to do so. </p>

<p>Anyway, what this means for someone in such a position is that they contact a lawyer in "countryA's" jurisdiction to help appeal or find a way to mitigate the judgment since it was awarded as a result of fraud. Alternatively, when proceedings begin to register the judgment in countryB, one in such a position may choose to hire a lawyer practicing in countryB to challenge the registration of the judgment</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>whether they can confiscate or do something to my property here until I figure all this out</p>
</blockquote>

<p><strong>Yes</strong></p>

<p>Assuming that a court in your home country has confirmed the debt (a judgement debt), the debtor can take that to a court in your new country for enforcement - garnishee of wages or bank accounts, seizure of property etc.</p>

<p>Hire a lawyer and sort it out.</p>
