In this month's roundup of cases and disqualifications, £2.4m VAT fraud gang leader jailed, builder disqualified over hidden sales and VAT loss, shop owner jailed over £960k tax fraud
£2.4m VAT fraud gang leader jailed
The ringleader of a 19-strong gang has been jailed for four years and eight months after he led a £2.4m VAT repayment fraud.
David Handley, from Leicester, recruited more than a dozen accomplices to make 300 fraudulent claims for VAT repayments over a seven-year period. Investigators found Handley supervised the set-up of 46 fake businesses for the sole purpose of making fraudulent tax repayments. He repeatedly posed as a legitimate trader and used the details of his accomplices to register businesses, fronting supposed courier companies and fast food firms. Handley submitted false tax repayment claims on behalf of other gang members and gave them a cut.
