Crooked Accountant Jailed Over £400K VAT Scam and Dodgy Medical Excuse
A duplicitous accountant has been locked up after trying to dodge justice with a forged medical report from Cyprus. Rakesh Sidhpara, 35, from Sutton Coldfield, pocketed over £400,000 through fake VAT claims involving bogus companies and hijacked businesses, an HMRC probe revealed.
Fake Kidney Stone Excuse Backfires
In a desperate bid to delay his trial last September, Sidhpara sent the court a forged five-page medical report claiming kidney stones kept him in a Cypriot hospital. But HMRC officers quickly spotted the dodgy stamp and signature, exposing the fake. During the three-week trial, he even fired off emails directly to the judge, trying to meddle with proceedings.
Eventually, Sidhpara admitted his role in the three-year fraud scheme. He was jailed for five-and-a-half years in December 2018. Then, just recently on 28 February, he pled guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice and picked up an extra year behind bars.
Lavish Lifestyle Funded by Crime
The accountant used his small business clients’ bank accounts to funnel fraudulent VAT repayments into accounts he and his wife controlled. Mrs Ritu Sidhpara, 32, helped launder over £80,000, landing her 23 months in prison for money laundering.
The couple splashed their ill-gotten gains on luxury Mercedes leases and a £338,000 detached home in Sutton Coldfield. Between 2010 and 2013, they jet-setted on more than a dozen holidays to hotspots like Las Vegas, Mexico, India, Dubai, and even enjoyed a VIP CNN studio tour in Atlanta.
Partners in Crime Also Caught
- Tanveer Akram, 35, from Handsworth, also cashed in on the scam and was jailed for two-and-a-half years for VAT fraud.
- The trio claimed over £407,000 between 2010 and 2013 via firms some of which didn’t even exist.
- Sidhpara hijacked legitimate traders’ bank accounts to channel payments without their knowledge.
Judge Richard Bond QC slammed Sidhpara as a “thoroughly dishonest” conman and the “controlling mind” behind the scam. He blasted Ritu for willingly entering into the racket, noting the couple’s extravagant lifestyle was funded by crime.
“Ritu Sidhpara was aware of the money laundering from the outset. She entered into this with her eyes wide open,” the judge said.
HMRC Cracks Down on Fraud
Nick Stone, Assistant Director of HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service, said: “Sidhpara thought he could lie to us and the courts. He was wrong. Thanks to our eagle-eyed officers, he faces more jail time.”
HMRC warned: “VAT fraud won’t be tolerated. If you suspect anyone committing this crime, report them online or call our Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.”
