“This gang thought they could exploit rules for genuine British filmmakers and thieve from the public purse for their own gain”

When the BBC report notes that the actress/producer sentenced to 5 years 5 months, reduced to 4 years 8 months, for her part in a £2.8million VAT and film tax credits scam, was “from London”, what they mean is that she was from Newry, with an address in London – as UTV correctly reported.  [I blame the PA copy – Ed]  Perhaps… What neither mentioned, but both the Irish Times and the Irish News do report today, is that the actress involved, Aoife …

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“I think it might be part of a wider fraud organised by certain political elements…”

The Irish Times reports from Ennis Circuit Court where a 33-year-old sub-contractor has been jailed for six years, with the final year suspended, after a jury convicted him of a €680,000 VAT fraud between January 2001 and October 2003.  From the Irish Times report Retired Revenue official Michael Downey said yesterday an estimated €15 million went through Floyd’s bank account between July 2001 and June 2004, with almost €7 million lost to the State through VAT payments of €1.6 million and €5.25 …

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