Manchester accountant jailed

AN accountant from Levenshulme, who created fake tax returns and expense accounts to steal more than £285,000 has been jailed for 43 months

Amjad Ali, 65, whose business was based in Longsight, used his client’s details to create fraudulent online Self Assessment Income Tax returns.

In the majority of cases, he added non-existent employee travel and subsistence expenses, with some including fictitious pension details and fake self-employment work.

Ali admitted that over five years between 2007 and 2013 he had claimed more than £285,000 in fraudulent Income Tax refunds as a result of these fictitious tax accounts.

Alongside the criminal investigation, HMRC reviewed the tax affairs of Ali’s clients and established that more than £725,000 in tax has been under-declared or claimed fraudulently, with Ali believed to have pocketed between £80,000 and £110,000 as his share or ‘fee’. The remainder is being recovered through his client’s tax bills.

Sandra Smith, assistant director of the fraud investigation service at HMRC, said: “As an accountant, Ali was in a position of trust and well aware that he was breaking the law.

“This was a well-organised, professional attempt to manipulate the UK tax system in order to steal money that should have been funding public services.”