TALLINN — The trial of Sergei Bindes, the head of joint-stock company Kuld ja Hõbe accused of not paying 1.142 million krooni (€90,000) in taxes, started Monday in Tallinn.

Bindes is charged with presenting fraudulent information in Kuld ja Hõbe tax declarations in order to reduce the amount of money paid for taxes, hoodwinking the state out or 1.142 million krooni.

In addition to tax fraud, the Northern District Prosecutor’s Office also accused Bindes of embezzlement, alleging he left part of his cash income undeclared from May 2000 until September 2002 when he was the company’s sole board member, leaving out 377,979 krooni of the company’s total cash flow while noting only 2.09 million krooni (€133,000) as income. From July 2000 until Sept. 2002 prosecutors allege Bindes lined his pockets with 756,308 thousand krooni (€48,000) left out from the income and social tax declarations.

Bindes has plead not not guilty and denied the charges.

According to Kristina Ots, press spokeswoman of Harju County Court, the judicial investigation is ongoing and the defendant was interrogated today. The trial will continue at 10 a.m. Thursday when the  questioning of the witnesses will continue.