MOSCOW, April 25 (RAPSI) – The preliminary investigation into a fraud carried out by an organized group who helped businesses evade tax has been completed, the Interior Ministry reported on Thursday.

A criminal case has been opened against two known members of the group, who are suspected of siphoning off 10.6 billion rubles ($337.3 million) into the shadow economy.

The “bankers” acquired the founding documents of several companies which were not actually conducting any operations. They opened accounts in these companies’ names with various banks which they later used as corresponding accounts to serve their clients.

The scheme functioned for two years. The fraudsters offered their services to business owners. They charged from 0.3% to 7% of the amount being taken out from the taxable base. Throughout this period, they received about 32 million rubles ($1 million).

The police are searching for the other members of the group, as well as the mastermind behind the scheme.