Cheadle newsagent jailed for VAT fraud

A STOCKPORT newsagent who who faked his VAT repayment claims to steal almost £85,000, has been jailed for nine months after an investigation by HM Revenue and Customs.

Mumtaz Jilani Latif, 45, of Blenheim Road, Cheadle Hulme, owned and ran Jilanis Station News in Cheadle Hulme. He made false VAT claims for nine years and continued to claim for over a year after he had sold his business in 2011.

He was jailed on Monday at Manchester Crown Court after pleading guilty to 10 counts of VAT fraud.

Sentencing Latif Her Honour Miss Recorder Rippon said: “You ran your business with a complete disregard for the law and stole money from the public purse that is used to fund vital public services.”

Sandra Smith, assistant director, Criminal Investigation, HMRC, said: “Latif faked paperwork to reclaim on average £10,000 per year and continued to make claims after he had sold the business.

“Tax fraud and attempts to launder the proceeds of crime are treated extremely seriously by HMRC, and we will relentlessly pursue any individuals or crime gangs believed to be attacking the Public Revenue in this way.”