Tax authorities in Germany are poised to claim 50 per cent of the money that a teenage student earned for ‘auctioning’ her virginity because they claim it was ‘tantamount to prostitution’.

Romanian-born Alina Percea, who is a student in Germany, was paid £8,800 in cash for a weekend of sex with the Italian businessman after she auctioned her virginity online.

But tax officials in Berlin regard the 18-year-old’s act as ‘nothing more than prostitution’.

Prostitution is legal in Germany – but it is heavily taxed.

‘It is not a moral standpoint but a fiscal one,’ an official said. ‘Prostitution is not an illegal act in Germany, but not paying tax on earned money is.

‘Consequently we are assessing her case and it looks likely she will have to pay around half of the sum she gained.’

The Romanian-born computer studies student’s visa allows her to work in Germany for 90 days – even as a prostitute.

One tax expert said: ‘Even if she was taxed as a purveyor of erotic moments, or whatever she wants to call what she did, she would have to pay tax on it.  Prostitution is merely a means for the bureaucrats to pin her down for a claim.

‘She would have been better off keeping quiet about this strange transaction.’

It also emerged that, because Alina earned so much in such a short time, she may even be liable for a hefty VAT bill too.

VAT in Germany works out to 19 per cent, meaning the sale of her virginity could land her with just over £3,000 in the end.

‘When we have hard figures then we can make an accurate assessment,’ said a German inland revenue spokesman.

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000 may lose half, Teen who auctioned her virginity for £8