Blackburn fuel fraudster
payback time
A Blackburn petrol station owner, who
was jailed for selling hundreds of thousands of litres of illegal diesel to
unsuspecting motorists, has been ordered to repay ₤133,660 in stolen taxes.
Nawaz Jan Virmani, 54, was caught by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers with
2,843 litres of illegal laundered diesel stored at his Shadsworth Road Service
Station in June 2013.
On Wednesday, 9 August 2017, he was ordered to pay back the money within 3 months, or
face a further 15 months in jail.
Debbie Porter, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said:-
"Virmani was jailed for a serious tax fraud and now he has been stripped of
everything he has. He is paying the price for trading illegally. We are
committed to creating a level playing field for all businesses and stop
criminals from undermining the UK economy.
HMRC is determined to recover money stolen from UK taxpayers. Public funds are
crucially important so if you suspect someone of Tax Fraud report it on:- 0800
788 887 and help us."
The Court ruled Virmani benefited by ₤247,590.57 from the fraud and ordered the
confiscation of his current assets worth ₤133,660.41. These include property he
part owns, the petrol station, a stake in another business and shares in Rolls
Royce.
A HMRC investigation into his business records revealed fake invoices for
212,450 litres of fuel and no legitimate paperwork for a further 126,791 litres.
In February 2016, Virmani was jailed for 16 months for the fuel fraud.
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