Swedish tax authorities are entering the virtual world of the Internet to hunt down webcam strippers whom they accuse of dodging taxes. These work-at-home Swedish strippers could number in the hundreds, and the government wants them to file a tax return on their income.
The BBC reports that the Swedish government estimates they are losing up to SEK 40 million (GBP 3.3 million) each year in unpaid tax. Dag Hardyson, the leader of the investigation, said they had tracked down 200 strippers so far, but believes there could be around 500 of them working in Cyberspace.
Hardyson told BBC News that whereas prostitution is against the law in Sweden, striptease via webcam is totally legal. He stated the strippers could be liable for up to half their income. The problem for the taxman is digging up contact information on the strippers, which is not provided by the websites.
“I don’t think they have any costs really – almost 100 percent of what they earn is pocketed. Many have regular work and this is extra income. We want them to register their activity as a business – it’s still taxable, even if it’s a hobby,” Hardyson said.
The investigation into webcam strippers is part of a larger tax project to uncover online poker and fake trader locations. The Dutch tipped off Swedish authorities about Internet strippers after they launched a similar investigation.
[…] Swedish strippers dodging taxman […]
You go girls! They ARe working the Kreppa real good. ENough of over taxation! That is what caused the kreppa in the first place. Taxing the poor people to fund the wild carelessness of the rich! Time for a revolution led by these most noble girls!!!!
Perhaps webcam stripping will eventually be made illegal and then, like prostitution, the workers will no longer have to pay tax on earnings.
> Ólafur – Investigating crime is quite normal in some countries. Perhaps some of these people in addition get paid as unemployers. I also work with cameras, but need pay tax out of the income. I must say that my entusiasm to pay tax would get very low if others get free.
Half a million Swedes will be unemployed by 2010 and so the government will focus on taxing webcam strippers. This is economic policy-making of the highest calibre.