Claim was ‘an abuse of a scheme designed to help charities in need’
Two ‘unregulated’ financial advisers who tried to claim a gift aid repayment of almost £145,000 using false documentation and fictitious details of donors have been jailed for two years.
Raymond Agbo, aged 42, and Akua Owusu, 26, of Enfield, London, were sentenced at the Old Bailey last week. They were found guilty in January of two counts of conspiracy to cheat the public revenue.
‘The two ran Mondvi & Co Ltd, a financial services company, through which they processed a gift aid repayment claim for £144,800 on behalf of [the Church of Grace Ministries UK],’ HMRC said.
David Margree, assistant director of criminal investigation for HMRC, said: ‘Agbo and Owusu had the financial knowledge to make a determined attempt to steal from honest people. They submitted the false claim knowing that it was an abuse of a scheme designed to help charities in need. I strongly encourage anyone with information about people committing this type of fraud to call the tax evasion hotline on 0800 788 887.’
Money Marketing reported that the defendants were ‘unregulated’ financial advisers. Both were disqualified under the Company Directors Disqualification Act for five years.
Guidance on the gift aid scheme is provided on the HMRC website.
Claim was ‘an abuse of a scheme designed to help charities in need’
Two ‘unregulated’ financial advisers who tried to claim a gift aid repayment of almost £145,000 using false documentation and fictitious details of donors have been jailed for two years.
Raymond Agbo, aged 42, and Akua Owusu, 26, of Enfield, London, were sentenced at the Old Bailey last week. They were found guilty in January of two counts of conspiracy to cheat the public revenue.
‘The two ran Mondvi & Co Ltd, a financial services company, through which they processed a gift aid repayment claim for £144,800 on behalf of [the Church of Grace Ministries UK],’ HMRC said.
David Margree, assistant director of criminal investigation for HMRC, said: ‘Agbo and Owusu had the financial knowledge to make a determined attempt to steal from honest people. They submitted the false claim knowing that it was an abuse of a scheme designed to help charities in need. I strongly encourage anyone with information about people committing this type of fraud to call the tax evasion hotline on 0800 788 887.’
Money Marketing reported that the defendants were ‘unregulated’ financial advisers. Both were disqualified under the Company Directors Disqualification Act for five years.
Guidance on the gift aid scheme is provided on the HMRC website.
