Latest news with #MikeLewis
Daily Mirror
17-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Biggest deliberate tax defaulters in country shown on map – they own over £1bn
We look back on 10 years of naming and shaming by HMRC to reveal the jobs and locations of more than 4,000 people and businesses penalised by the taxman More than 4,000 of the UK's biggest 4,000 tax defaulters have faced demands for over £1.5bn from HM Revenue and Customs. The Government has been naming and shaming 'deliberate tax defaulters' since 2015 and the Mirror has brought together the list for the first time. More than one in five - 21% of those named - are in hospitality, such as takeaways, restaurants, pubs, bars and cafes. Nearly as many - 19% - work in construction or trades like plumbing or plastering. Mike Lewis, Director of investigative think-tank TaxWatch, said: "£1.5bn is a serious amount of money - that's roughly the cost of an NHS dentist appointment for everyone in Britain. But it could be the tip of an iceberg. Many deliberate defaulter penalties focus on tax due on domestic income. Some of the largest tax evaders, particularly those with income and assets offshore, will have taxable income that HMRC may not even know about." HMRC has been regularly publishing the names and addresses of those who deliberately default on tax of more than £25,000 since 2015. These are people or firms who received penalties for 'deliberate errors in their tax returns' or 'deliberately failing to comply with their tax obligations'. But tax defaulters can avoid the list if they 'fully disclose details of the defaults' to the taxman. The naming and shaming happens only 'once these penalties are final'. Some of the biggest defaulters - five out of the top 10 - are recruitment or payroll firms which owed £145m in tax and penalties. We found 112 tax defaulters working in haulage, freight or HGV driving who owed £33.5m. Two adult entertainment businesses owed £783,000 while four barristers owed £523,000. A number of the biggest tax defaulters are involved in metals - such as scrap or recycling. There are ten in Yorkshire alone which have been named as liable for £60.4m in tax and penalties. We looked by postcode area and E6 in East London had the highest number with 42 cases totalling £7.8m. Most of those were involved in the building trade. In all, 15 of the 20 postcode areas with the most tax defaulters are from the London area. The highest number of cases in a postcode area outside London is LE5, in Leicester, where there are 18 cases totalling £3.2m. Nearly half appear to be linked to the city's fast fashion industry. There are 46 companies from China on the list and another eight from Hong Kong. The five biggest defaulters were all online retailers who owed HMRC £34.6m. But there are likely to be more Chinese-linked firms using UK addresses. The next biggest group was 38 cases from Poland, including five hauliers who owed £16.9m to HMRC. An HMRC spokesperson said: "We use a range of tools to take firm action against the minority who refuse to pay the tax they owe. This includes publishing the names of those penalised for deliberate defaults to influence taxpayer behaviour and encourage defaulters to engage with HMRC." They added that the list only includes those penalised under civil procedures and does not include criminal convictions for tax fraud. Some of the money owed may have been paid back and HMRC says the list 'does not necessarily represent the full default of the taxpayer'. The biggest tax defaulter named is a recruitment firm from Derby, Simplify Contracting Services Limited, which went bust two years ago owing £60.6m to the taxman. The liquidator is investigating millions sent to a company run by a struck off solicitor. Second is a payroll firm Work Legal E Ltd, from Edinburgh, which was first exposed by the Mirror and owes £42.2m in tax and penalties. Third is scrap metal dealer JKL (Wakefield) Ltd from Osset, West Yorkshire, which owed £39m to the taxman, but only £2.1m was recovered by the firm's liquidator. Other firms on the list include a mysterious 'hologram technology ' firm called Silvermask Limited, which was set up by 42-year-old Australian Ronald Ryan in August 2020 and immediately racked up an unpaid £16.6m tax bill in just four months. HMRC imposed extra penalties of £16.1m, bringing the total to £32.7m. Tenth on the list is property developer Hasan Nawaz Sharif, son of the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, who was named by HMRC in March as owing £9.4m in tax and £5.3m in penalties. The total - £14.6m - is the highest owed by an individual but he disputes the claims. Mike Lewis added: "These name and shame lists look impressive, but they're missing the professionals that may know about or collude in their clients' tax cheating. HMRC has the power to fine and name tax advisers who deliberately conceal documents, or provide misleading information about their clients' affairs. Yet between 2020 and 2024 we found that HMRC started substantive investigations against fewer than five dishonest tax advisers in each year, and at the moment it doesn't publish the names of any tax advisers fined for dishonesty."
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
GDOT and RCSO warn the public to heed traffic laws ahead of '100 Deadliest Days'
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – After multiple deadly crashes in recent weeks, law enforcement and the Georgia Department of Transportation are urging the public to obey traffic laws as we head into the summer. The hotter months are just around the corner, which means the roads are about to get even busier. But law enforcement is warning the public after seeing an uptick in traffic violations. 'The one thing I've noticed a lot in Richmond County and in Columbia County when I'm driving is that people do not like slowing down at yellow lights,' said RCSO Captain Mike Lewis. 'People do not like slowing down at yellow lights. When the light turns yellow, that doesn't mean speed up to make it through the intersection.' The Richmond County Sheriff's Office has responded to 3 deadly crashes just in the last 2 weeks—including one on Peach Orchard Road that killed 8-year-old Camden Poole. The Georgia Department of Transportation says the summertime also brings a higher chance of crashes in work zones. 'We have a lot more road construction and highway maintenance happening in the summer months, so our crews are out on the roads more often, and you have greater chance of work zone crashes as a result of that,' said District 2 Communications Specialist Will Volk. Data from GDOT shows nearly 100 deadly crashes happened across the CSRA last year alone. The more common causes are following too close and failing to yield—that's why they and law enforcement are sharing important tips so you can stay safe. 'Avoid distracted driving, put the cell phone down—that's a big one. Taking your eyes off the road even for a few seconds can cause someone to suddenly break. If you don't see that, you can rear-end somebody,' Volk said. 'Green light means go, yellow light means slow down, and red means stop. If more people did that, it would cut down a lot on our vehicle accidents, and especially would cut down on our fatalities as well,' said Lewis. Volk added, 'Most crashes are preventable. So, when you're behind the wheel and you're thinking about doing these dangerous driving behaviors, just think. These kinds of things can send somebody to the hospital, or could send somebody to the funeral home. Are you okay with that? Make sure you ask yourself that question before you do these things.' Law enforcement says it's also a critical time to follow the rules of the road, as the '100 Deadliest Days' for teen drivers starts in less than 2 weeks. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Business Wire
13-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Pando Ridge Ventures Launches a Business Valuation Service
SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pando Ridge Ventures has partnered with BizEquity to launch a new Business Valuation Service, giving company leaders across the country access to real-time valuation insights at no cost. The service is now live and available to founders, CEOs and business owners seeking clarity on their company's value. The initiative is part of Pando Ridge Ventures' ongoing mission to provide founders and business leaders with the tools they need to grow, transition and fund their companies more strategically. By leveraging BizEquity's industry-leading valuation technology, the firm's specialists can now quickly offer detailed, data-driven valuation reports. 'This service meets three of the most pressing needs we see in today's market,' said Erik Blomquist, Managing Partner at Pando Ridge Ventures. 'Startup leaders exploring early-stage funding need to understand their pre-money and post-money valuation to make intelligent capital decisions. Growing companies seeking to raise capital for their next stage of growth need accurate, up-to-date insights to attract and align with the right money sources.' The Business Valuation Service is accessible through the Pando Ridge Ventures website and is intended to support long-term relationships between specialists and the business owners they serve. 'The market is seeing a major evolution in that we're seeing a wave of business owners nearing retirement, who are part of the so-called 'silver tsunami,'' said Mike Lewis, General Partner at Pando Ridge Ventures. 'These people have built companies over several decades and now need help navigating succession planning, tax strategies and exit opportunities for them and their families. Our new valuation tool brings clarity and confidence to all of them.' For more information and to access the valuation tool, visit About Pando Ridge Ventures Pando Ridge Ventures is a private investment firm that partners with visionary founders and forward-thinking businesses to accelerate growth and long-term value creation. With a focus on innovation, operational excellence and strategic guidance, Pando Ridge supports companies at every stage—from early growth to expansion and succession. The firm brings a collaborative approach, deep industry insight and access to a trusted network of advisors and capital partners. Pando Ridge is headquartered in Salt Lake City and invests across a diverse range of sectors, including technology, building and construction materials, manufacturing and lifestyle industries. Learn more at
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pando Ridge Ventures Launches a Business Valuation Service
SALT LAKE CITY, May 13, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pando Ridge Ventures has partnered with BizEquity to launch a new Business Valuation Service, giving company leaders across the country access to real-time valuation insights at no cost. The service is now live and available to founders, CEOs and business owners seeking clarity on their company's value. The initiative is part of Pando Ridge Ventures' ongoing mission to provide founders and business leaders with the tools they need to grow, transition and fund their companies more strategically. By leveraging BizEquity's industry-leading valuation technology, the firm's specialists can now quickly offer detailed, data-driven valuation reports. "This service meets three of the most pressing needs we see in today's market," said Erik Blomquist, Managing Partner at Pando Ridge Ventures. "Startup leaders exploring early-stage funding need to understand their pre-money and post-money valuation to make intelligent capital decisions. Growing companies seeking to raise capital for their next stage of growth need accurate, up-to-date insights to attract and align with the right money sources." The Business Valuation Service is accessible through the Pando Ridge Ventures website and is intended to support long-term relationships between specialists and the business owners they serve. "The market is seeing a major evolution in that we're seeing a wave of business owners nearing retirement, who are part of the so-called 'silver tsunami,'" said Mike Lewis, General Partner at Pando Ridge Ventures. "These people have built companies over several decades and now need help navigating succession planning, tax strategies and exit opportunities for them and their families. Our new valuation tool brings clarity and confidence to all of them." For more information and to access the valuation tool, visit About Pando Ridge Ventures Pando Ridge Ventures is a private investment firm that partners with visionary founders and forward-thinking businesses to accelerate growth and long-term value creation. With a focus on innovation, operational excellence and strategic guidance, Pando Ridge supports companies at every stage—from early growth to expansion and succession. The firm brings a collaborative approach, deep industry insight and access to a trusted network of advisors and capital partners. Pando Ridge is headquartered in Salt Lake City and invests across a diverse range of sectors, including technology, building and construction materials, manufacturing and lifestyle industries. Learn more at View source version on Contacts Media Contact: Tim RushPando Ridge Venturestim@ Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Man injured in semi rollover on I-90 near Alden
Mar. 16—A 47-year-old man was injured Friday night after the semi he was driving rolled into the median on Interstate 90 near Alden. Mike Lewis of Chicago, Illinois, was driving a 2024 International truck eastbound near milepost 146 when the crash occurred at 7:57 p.m., according to the Minnesota State Patrol. The report stated Lewis was taken to Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea for injuries deemed not life-threatening. The roads were wet at the time of the crash, and alcohol was not a factor. The Freeborn County Sheriff's Office and Alden Fire and Rescue assisted at the scene.
