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Categories: tax evasion

Stephen Hirst and Michael Hirst

Brothers sentenced for offshore tax scam

Two brothers, Stephen and Michael Hirst, have been sentenced for a 3.2 million offshore tax scam. The brothers used offshore companies to hide money from the sale of land in Wakefield, to evade tax. They were given the chance to pay what was owed through a Contractual Disclosure Facility but failed to do so.

Cross-country enquiries into suspected electronic till fraud

Cross-country enquiries into suspected electronic till fraud

Takeaways across England have been subject to unannounced inspections as part of an Electronic Sales Suppression (ESS) probe. The action by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers took place at a total of 17 different outlets in London, Ipswich, Manchester and Newcastle over the last month. It follows several separate till fraud enquiries, which include the arrest of a 47-year-old man.

Ringleader Mohammed Zafer and cash seized from the gang

Gang jailed for laundering £26m

A gang that sent £26 million of dirty money to Dubai after depositing criminal cash at banks a dozen times a day for nearly a year have been jailed

Businesses targeted across Britain as part of till fraud probe

Businesses targeted across Britain as part of till fraud probe

More than 20 takeaways and restaurants in Edinburgh, London, St Helens and Stoke have been subject to unannounced visits as part of a crackdown on electronic till fraud. The action by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers took place over the last four weeks, with 24 hot food takeaways and restaurants targeted.

Drury & the two seized Rolex watches with the poolside at Drury's main Spanish villa

VAT fraudster to cough up £1.2m or face longer in jail

A jailed fraudster who bought three Spanish villas after stealing from the taxpayer must pay £1.2 million back or face another seven years in jail. Graham Drury, 71, formerly of Strathalyn, Rossett, Wrexham, was jailed for five-and-a-half years in 2021 after submitting fraudulent VAT returns to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Twyllwr TAW i dalu £1.2m neu bydd yn wynebu rhagor o amser yn y carchar

Twyllwr TAW i dalu £1.2m neu bydd yn wynebu rhagor o amser yn y carchar

Mae’n rhaid i dwyllwr sydd wedi’i garcharu, a brynodd dair fila yn Sbaen ar ôl dwyn mwy na £1.2 miliwn oddi ar drethdalwyr, dalu’r arian yn ôl neu bydd yn wynebu saith mlynedd arall yn y carchar.
Cafodd Graham Drury, 71 oed, gynt o Strathalyn, Yr Orsedd, Wrecsam, ei garcharu am bum mlynedd a hanner yn 2021 ar ôl cyflwyno Ffurflenni TAW twyllodrus i Gyllid a Thollau EF (CThEF).
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Illegal cigarettes seized at Belfast Port

10.8 million cigarettes seized at Belfast port

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is investigating after 10.8 million illegal cigarettes were seized at Belfast Port. The cigarettes, worth around £5.3million in unpaid taxes, were seized by HMRC working alongside Border Force, on 20 June, 2023. The cigarettes were found packed in cardboard boxes inside a container that had been scanned by Border Force. No arrests have been made.

(L-R) The ringleaders, Francis Devlin & Paul McStravick

Twenty-seven sentenced in Northern Ireland’s biggest ever tax fraud case

The ringleaders of a gang who triggered Northern Ireland’s biggest ever tax probe have been jailed thanks to secretly recorded conversations in a bugged accountant’s office. The decade-long investigation into the £5 million tax fraud ended yesterday with prison sentences issued to gang leaders 58-year-old Francis Devlin and 56-year-old Paul McStravick for a combined total of eight years.

HMRC gives offshore customers chance to come clean

HMRC gives offshore customers chance to come clean

UK residents who were named in the leaked Pandora Papers are being given the chance to correct their tax affairs.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is writing to UK residents named in the files of 14 offshore financial service providers. These providers specialise in companies, trusts, and foundations in low, or no tax, jurisdictions.
The letters, which started going out this month, warn recip

L-R Arif Patel & Mohamed Jaffar Ali, plus images of a seized shipping container, boxes containing counterfeit items & close-up images of the goods

Counterfeit clothing boss sentenced for fraud worth more than £150 million

Two men involved in one of the UK’s largest ever carousel tax frauds have been sentenced to a combined total of 31 years in jail. Sock manufacturer Arif Patel, 55, of Dubai, was sentenced in his absence to 20 years behind bars, while co-accused Mohamed Jaffar Ali, 59, also of Dubai, was also sentenced in his absence to 11 years in jail.

L-R Arif Patel & Mohamed Jaffar Ali, plus images of a seized shipping container, boxes containing counterfeit items & close-up images of the goods

Counterfeit clothing boss convicted of fraud worth more than £150 million

The mastermind of a fake designer clothing scam has been convicted of one of the UK’s largest ever carousel tax frauds.
Sock manufacturer Arif Patel, 55, of Preston, and his criminal gang tried to steal £97 million through VAT repayment claims on false exports of textiles and mobile phones.
They also imported and sold counterfeit clothes that would have been worth at least £50 million, had

Two arrested as global bank probe gathers pace

Two arrested as global bank probe gathers pace

Two men have been arrested as part of a multi-million-pound tax fraud investigation involving UK customers of a collapsed Puerto Rican bank.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers executed search warrants at three residential and business addresses in Liverpool and arrested two men, aged 40 and 50.
Computers and other digital devices were seized during the raids along with business record

HMRC leads global probe into major till fraud

HMRC leads global probe into major till fraud

A gang suspected of being behind a multi-million pound global fraud, that uses software to hide till sales, has been targeted with the arrest of five people by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
An extensive investigation and intelligence operation, led to an international probe with enforcement action taken in the UK, US and Australia. More than 100 HMRC officers visited 90 businesses across Engla

HMRC probes suspected tax evasion bank customers

HMRC probes suspected tax evasion bank customers

Hundreds of UK customers of a collapsed Puerto Rican bank linked to tax evasion and money laundering are being given a chance to check and correct their tax affairs. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is currently writing to around 600 people in the UK who used the Euro Pacific Bank (EPB) urging them to check their tax position and make any corrections to their tax affairs.

New powers introduced as HMRC targets till fraud

New powers introduced as HMRC targets till fraud

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers visited businesses across the country and arrested 3 people in a day of action after new powers were introduced in the fight against till fraud.

Tax Gap remains low

Tax Gap remains low

The Tax Gap for 2017/2018 is 5.6%, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) confirmed today.

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HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is the UK’s tax authority

HMRC is responsible for making sure that the money is available to fund the UK’s public services and for helping families and individuals with targeted financial support.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)

100 Parliament St
SW1A 2BQ London