Nearly 700 tax criminals convicted in 2013

Figures recently released by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have revealed there were around 700 convictions for tax and benefit fraud during 2013.

Between January and the end of November, HMRC investigations led to 690 successful convictions – up from 477 in 2012, and the highest since the 2010 Spending Review. These convictions led to sentences totalling 355 years in prison.

The investigations covered everything from complex VAT, income tax and benefit frauds to smuggling cases.

One example reported by HMRC involved a 17-strong criminal gang that commited a £2.3 million VAT repayment fraud using the sale of fictitious concrete crushing machines to fund extravagant lifestyles.

The group fabricated transactions and sales of construction equipment. They produced fake invoices and paperwork to try and make their companies look like legitimate traders to reclaim VAT on sales and exports. They did not pay any VAT as the ‘goods’ didn’t exist. The members of the gang were sentenced to over 17 years behind bars.

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