Investigators probing tax issues zero in on influencers in Rhineland-Palatinate; potential expansion to Koblenz?
Influencer tax evasion has become a significant concern for German authorities, with an estimated €300 million in unpaid taxes mostly uncovered in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). Intensive investigations are underway involving over 200 professional influencers in NRW, where special "influencer teams" have been established to tackle the issue.
The tax evasion schemes often involve undeclared income, the use of complex foreign setups, and the registration of earnings in foreign countries, such as Dubai, to avoid German taxes. Other federal states, including Hamburg and Thuringia, are beginning or planning similar crackdowns, but no concrete information or reported investigations specific to Rhineland-Palatinate or Koblenz have been documented as of mid-2025.
Despite the lack of publicly available data suggesting a widespread problem in Rhineland-Palatinate or Koblenz, the Rhineland-Palatinate state is targeting potential tax evasion by influencers. The tax offices do not solely base their investigations on the number of followers but rather examine activities on various platforms. Many content creators are reported to have relocated abroad to avoid the tax office, with Dubai being a popular destination.
In North Rhine-Westphalia, tax investigators are analysing a data package from several social media platforms containing 6,000 data sets. The exact numbers and specific cases in the Koblenz region are not specified. The results from the special unit in Baden-Württemberg are not yet available.
The efforts to combat influencer tax evasion are contingent on the potential additional tax revenue. The ministry has suggested that there could be several hundred cases of tax evasion by influencers, but no exact numbers have been confirmed. The investigations in Rhineland-Palatinate are focused on content creators active on social media who promote products and earn millions, but the specifics of these cases remain to be seen.
As the investigations progress, it remains to be seen whether Rhineland-Palatinate will join the growing list of federal states addressing influencer tax evasion or if the issue will remain largely confined to NRW. However, with other states beginning to take action, it is likely that the focus on influencer tax evasion will continue to expand across Germany.
The tax offices in Rhineland-Palatinate are also investigating potential tax evasion by influencers, similar to North Rhine-Westphalia, to ensure that the correct finance is contributed to the industry, especially considering the growing influence of technology and business on social media platforms. As the investigations broaden due to federal states' actions, it is probable that the technology sector will face increased scrutiny regarding its involvement in finance and business, including tax evasion practices by influencers.
