Four sentenced for £6m film tax fraud

Four members of a London based gang were sentenced last week for their roles in a £6 million VAT and film tax credits fraud.

Of the four, one absconded before the trial and was convicted in his absence. The remaining three, Amit Kumar, Afsana Karim and Sanjeev Mirajkar, were convicted following a seven week trial.

Film tax relief is administered by HMRC and is available to legitimate film makers for British films that are intended to be shown commercially in cinemas and where at least 25% of total production costs relate to activities in the UK. 

In this case, says HMRC, between 2007 and 2011, it was deceived into thinking that millions of pounds had been spent on producing feature films. One of the bogus productions was ”Billy”, the animated story of a Beagle dog escaping London Zoo to undertake a journey of self-discovery in the capital. It was never made.

The court heard that Mirajkar was an experienced film editor, having worked on Bollywood films in the UK and India. He became a company director of a number of the companies involved in the fraud. He was sentenced to two years and six months imprisonment for VAT fraud and six months imprisonment for film tax credits fraud.

Kumar was working as video editor in London. He also acted as company secretary to two of the companies involved in the fraud. He was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for VAT fraud. 

Karim was a director of a number of companies involved in the fraud. Previously she had worked in the fashion and wedding photography industries. She was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for VAT fraud and three months imprisonment for film tax credits fraud. Both sentences were suspended for two years and she was ordered to undertake 100 hours unpaid work.

Anish Anand, who has absconded, had previously worked in the wedding photography industry. He was a director of a number of companies involved in the fraud. He was sentenced in his absence to seven years imprisonment for VAT fraud and two years imprisonment for film tax credits fraud.

For specialist legal advice from our criminal defence solicitors on defending a fraud charge contact us today.