The French branch of Netflix in Paris and the European headquarters of the group in Amsterdam were the subject of searches on Tuesday as part of an investigation opened at the end of 2022 for suspicions of tax evasion and undeclared work.
„Searches are taking place today in various locations, including at the offices of Netflix companies in France and are being carried out by investigators from the Central Office for Combating Corruption and Financial and Fiscal Crimes (OCLCIFF), in the presence of members of the PNF,” a judicial source said on Tuesday.
The National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF) opened a preliminary investigation in November 2022 regarding suspicions of money laundering in organized crime, aggravated tax fraud, and undeclared work.
The Netflix headquarters for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, located in Amsterdam, was also searched "simultaneously by Dutch magistrates and investigators, accompanied by French magistrates and investigators," the judicial source further detailed.
"A criminal cooperation action between French and Dutch authorities has been carried out for several months as part of this procedure and has been coordinated by Eurojust," adds the source cited by AFP.
"We respect the tax regulations in all countries where we operate worldwide," said a Netflix spokesperson in the summer of 2023 when it was revealed that the streaming giant was the subject of a tax audit in France.