MOTD Presenters Face Tax Evasion Charges

SOURCE: CITYWIRE.CO.UK

Two Match of the Day presenters face paying £4.5 million in tax bills after investing in an alleged tax avoidance scheme.

Former England and Liverpool footballer Danny Murphy  has been ordered to pay a £2.5 million tax bill after investing in two Ingenious schemes in 2005.
Martin Keown, former Arsenal defender, is understood to have paid over £2 million to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) according to the Times. He confirmed he received a ‘retrospective tax bill’ over his Ingenious investment but denied the £2 million figure was accurate.
Two other ex-footballers and Match of the Day presenters, Gary Lineker and Robbie Savage, have also invested in alleged tax avoidance film schemes set up by Ingenious Media Partners.
Rio Ferdinand, former England captain and another Match of the Day presenter invested in a film scheme set up by a company called Scion but it is understood he and other investors settled any tax bills with HMRC in 2011.
Lineker invested in five Ingenious schemes between 2003 and 2007 and Savage invested in two schemes in 2005. The Times said it was not known how much they invested and whether they claimed the tax relief or not.
Ingenious Media has previously denied HMRC’s allegations that it is involved in a series of schemes that were not legitimate investment opportunities but a means of avoiding tax.
HMRC ramped up its crackdown on tax avoidance schemes by sending out 600 accelerated payment demands, including to Ingenious schemes.
Accelerated payment notices order individuals to pay the disputed tax amount within 90 days before HMRC challenges the individual’s scheme in court.
HMRC's court battle against Ingenious kick-started in November 2014 and a decision is expected next month.


Nice little earner...£40k Hanson was getting for each appearance...about 12 hours work. :|