Tax

Britain’s Most Wanted Tax Crooks Named And Shamed

Britain’s most wanted tax fugitives are named and shamed on a new list of HM Revenue and Customs most wanted.

As the list and photographs of the suspected offenders were published online, HMRC also announced one fraudster was recently held while trying to come into the country on a false passport.

Anthony Judge, who HMRC wanted to quiz about the part he played in a £350,000 tax fraud, had been on the run for 10 years.

He was detained as he left a flight at Heathrow Airport, London.

Judge was the second listed tax fraudster to be arrested. In May, John Nugent was found guilty of a £22 million tax fraud and jailed for four-and-a-half years. Nugent was held in the US after he was recognised as a fugitive when questioned about overstaying on a tourist visa.

Fraudsters at large

All the tax criminals on the most wanted list are wanted for questioning about VAT fraud, tax evasion and money laundering offences that have cost HMRC between £100,000 and £10 million in lost revenues.

Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne said: “The message is straightforward. Tax fraud is a crime and we will chase down those responsible. Millions of working people pay their taxes and the crime is against every one of them.

“HMRC has the resources to find these people wherever they are in the world and will continue to work to bring them to justice.

“Two have already been captured and publishing more information will highlight the crimes of others and help bring about their arrests.”

The original list of 20 most wanted fraudsters was published in March 2012 in a blaze of publicity. The addition of 11 new names means 29 are still at large.

Meanwhile, the name and shame policy was slammed as a failure by Labour.

HMRC failure

“More than a year after the first publication the list is a massive failure.  Eighteen of the 20 most wanted tax criminals are still on the run,” said Catherine McKinnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Treasury Minister.

“It’s important everyone pays their taxes, especially when so many families are struggling. The government has got to do better and try harder to catch these criminals.”

HMRC counters by claiming tips from law enforcement organisations and the public are helping investigators to trace 17 of the original 20 most wanted crooks.

The online gallery has had more than 1.5 million views.

Click here for images and information about all the HMRC most wanted tax fraudsters

Click here for HMRC map of where the most wanted tax fraudsters are suspected to be

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