A runway tax fraudster who fudged his business accounts to steal half-a-million pounds over five years has been jailed.
Stephen McKenzie of Robin Hood Way, Greenford , was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday (January 5, 2017).
He had admitted VAT fraud at an earlier hearing on November 30 2016 at the same court.
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The 49-year-old owner of London video conferencing company, ICU (Global) Ltd had fled the UK after faking documents and making up figures on his tax returns to steal £500,000.
The court heard how he had inflated the value of his purchases and drew up false invoices to generate VAT repayments he was not entitled too.
An investigation by HMRC found McKenzie had carried out the scam between October 2008 and March 2013, before closing down the business and selling his home.
He then fled to Ireland leaving behind a false forwarding address in America.
However the conman was eventually arrested at Leeds Bradford Airport in July 2016 en-route to Zante in Greece.
Martin Brown, assistant director at the Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: "As McKenzie found out, there is no hiding place for tax fraudsters.
"He manipulated the accounts of his business and drew up false invoices to steal taxpayers’ money.
"This is money that should have been paying for vital public services."
He was sentenced on Thursday January 5.
Confiscation proceedings are under way to recoup the proceeds of his crime.
Anyone with information about individuals or businesses involved in tax fraud should call HMRC's 24-hour hotline on 0800 59 5000.
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