Gang 'created state' to dodge taxes, carry out fraud

(ANSA) - ROME, AUG 18 - An Italian criminal gang created their own state, allegedly based in the Antarctic, to evade Italian taxes and commit fraud on a massive scale, police said Thursday.
    The 'Antarctic Theocratic State of St George' constructed documents and got accreditation with banks in Italy, police said.
    The bogus sovereign state was used by the organization to defraud countless victims and launder money, they said.
    The gang was dismantled by Catanzaro prosecutors and police.
    Eleven people were placed under house arrest in the "Never-Never Land" police operation.
    They include a former general of the Guardia di Finanza tax police, Mario Farnesi, aged 72, and a former warrant officer in the Carabinieri paramilitary police force, Emanuele Frasca (56).
    Members of the organization, which had created a head of state and government, ministers, court of justice, supreme court and territorial delegations, induced over 700 victims across Italy to pay sums ranging from 200 to 1,000 euros for various alleged benefits including getting financing and documents to travel freely around the world, as well as enabling foreigners to come to Italy.
    The gang has been charged with conspiracy to commit crimes, fraud, counterfeiting documents and money laundering. (ANSA).