Fraudster Jailed After Paying Tax Debt with Stolen Cash
A conniving serial fraudster has been sent down for nearly five years after trying to clear a £107,000 tax debt using money stolen in a separate scam.
Tax Cheats’ Web of Lies Uncovered
Duncan Johnson, 57, from Oakham, initially admitted to a £107,000 tax fraud. He promised the judge he’d repay it, earning a six-month delay in sentencing.
But HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) investigators quickly uncovered Johnson’s dirty secret: he was funding the repayment with cash pilfered from a second, much larger scam.
Fake VAT Returns and Fake Clients
Between April 2013 and September 2014, Johnson submitted bogus VAT returns claiming he traded exclusively with EU businesses—where no VAT is charged. In truth, all his clients were UK-based.
Johnson finally admitted his tax fraud in March 2016 and paid back £87,000 of the stolen funds, promising more to come.
Second Scam Revealed: Half a Million Stolen
HMRC dug deeper into Johnson’s finances, spotting suspicious transactions that revealed a second scam. From March 2013 to December 2016, he ripped off other businesses to the tune of £583,806.
Johnson took online payments for goods like football flags and virtual reality goggles — but never sent a single item.
Some of this loot was funnelled into settling his tax bill. Johnson admitted the second scam at Crown Court in June 2018.
Jail Time and Cash Recovery Underway
On Friday 12 April, Johnson was jailed for four years and nine months at Crown Court.
Authorities have now launched confiscation proceedings to claw back the stolen millions.
