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Ukrainians jailed over £3.2m tax evasion

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12th Apr 2011
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A lengthy HMRC investigation has resulted in the sentencing of an illegal Ukrainian immigrant and a former high street bank employee who organised a £3.2m tax fraud.

The London-based Oleg Rozputnii and Nikola Novakovic registered more than 1,050 fictitious taxpayers on the Income Tax Self Assessment system.

Between January 2008 and September 2010 the pair stole £3.2m using more than 200 false bank accounts to commit the fraud.

The money was withdrawn from cash points or was transferred through a web of linked accounts set up by the fraudsters.

Rozputnii used numerous false identities to help commit the fraud and conceal his involvement, and also arranged for some of the financial proceeds to be transferred back to the Ukraine.

Rozputnii - who is subject to automatic deportation - was sentenced to three years and nine months imprisonment, while Nikola Novakovic was sentenced to three years and three months imprisonment at Harrow Crown Court.

Joe Rawbone, assistant director of HMRC Criminal Investigation said: "These men ran an audacious scam stealing millions of pounds. They set up hundreds of false bank accounts using viruses to hack into personal computers to gain information.

“They used their illegal profits to fund lavish lifestyles buying performance cars, including Porches, Mercedes and Jaguars. HMRC takes tax fraud extremely seriously and we will recover any financial gain from this criminal activity."

Their accomplice Dmytro Shepel was jailed for three-and-a-half years at Woolwich Crown Court in August 2010, for his part in the fraud.
 

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By mikewhit
12th Apr 2011 16:44

Same pattern ?

If they have any sense, they will now use the records of the fraudsters to look out for similar patterns of behaviour which might lead them to more attempts to defraud, in the various areas of interest - bank accounts, taxpayer registration, repayments, etc.

I can't believe these people are unique and using a unique set of methods.

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By hiu612
18th Apr 2011 15:53

Tough Enough?

3 years and three months for £3.2m proceeds (the proceeds that were traced, that is) . . .I suspect there are plenty of criminals willing to chance their arm with those odds.

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By weaversmiths
18th Apr 2011 17:58

HMRC Investigation

Can anyone remember the fraud that instigated the request that all cheques be made out to "Inland Revenue Only"?  (Before they became HMRC, of course).   I think it was something to do with an individual setting up a bank account in the Inland Revenue name?

 

TheAncientOne

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By cfield
19th Apr 2011 13:09

3 Years?

I bet in America they would have got 20-30 years for a fraud like that.

Chris

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