The Commission of Inquiry will inform the Public Prosecution Service that prior to privatisation, TAP “wrongly” paid for services to David Neeleman and Atlantic Gateway, in excess of the €10 million paid when the airline was purchased. .
These new data appear in the final report of the Commission of Inquiry to TAP and are part of the 48 amendments accepted by the rapporteur, the socialist Ana Paula Bernardo, and are one of the information that, at the suggestion of the PCP, will be sent to the Public Prosecution Service.
“TAP SA and TAP SGPS did not send until July 10th all documentation requested by the CPI in relation to the existing billing relating to services improperly paid for by TAP but performed for the benefit of David Neeleman’s companies and Atlantic company. Gateway”, can be read in the final version of the report.
It also adds that “the series of documents sent shows multiple expenses incurred before November 12, 2015”, the date the privatization was completed, with these payments “above the amount of 10 million euros paid by Atlantic Gateway for the purchase of TAP”.
According to the document, which Lusa had access to and will be voted on Thursday by the investigative committee, “these payments waste the company and represent a range of unacceptable practices.”
“The Commission has found strong indications in the documentation sent by TAP SA and TAP SGPS that a series of payments of DGN expenses on the purchase of TAP was paid by TAP itself. The CPI therefore sends these indications, included in the collection, to the Public Prosecution Service, so that the situation can be properly investigated,” he suggests.
Among these indications, indicated by the PCP, are “the payment of 15 million euros to the Seabury consultant for services rendered in 2015 and 2016, in the case of the consultant who advised David Neeleman on the purchase of TAP” and also a contract signed at the time by Fernando Pinto and that consultant “two days after signing the direct sales agreement, for the provision of consultancy services titled ‘Project Gateway’, even before signing the closing agreement”.
In addition, the Commission of Inquiry has found evidence, which also refers to the Public Prosecution Service, that between 2017 and 2019 a series of directors “had their salaries paid through a service paid to Atlantic Gateway rather than receiving them through TAP, thus preventing TAP that they pay the 23% rate for Social Security, and make sure they don’t pay the 11% rate for Social Security”.
The report provides the Public Prosecution Service with the “large collection of documents” about the so-called Airbus funds, which are under investigation.
“There are testimonials in this CPI indicating alleged improper use of service vehicles by some TAP administrators. This fact could generate responsibilities that should be investigated in the appropriate headquarters,” he added.
Source: DN
