Latest news with #criminalassets
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Police seize £180,000 Aston Martin deposit from Andrew Tate
Police have seized £180,000 from Andrew Tate after a court heard he paid the money for a special edition Aston Martin through tax evasion and money laundering. Devon and Cornwall Police obtained account freezing and forfeiture orders at Westminster Magistrates' Court for the Valhalla supercar deposit. The funds add to almost £2.7m of criminal assets seized from Mr Tate and his brother Tristan, since December 2024. The police action was submitted to the court on the same basis as previous applications made by the force last year. At that time, Judge Goldspring said in his judgment that he was satisfied of the "overall criminality of deliberate and dishonest cheat of the revenue". He added that the Tate brothers had "engaged in long-standing conduct to evade their tax". The pair had not opposed the latest account freezing and forfeiture orders, the police statement said. Sarah Clarke KC, representing Devon and Cornwall Police, told the court the funds deposited with Aston Martin originally came from a Coinbase cryptocurrency account. The account held multiple cryptocurrencies purchased with funds derived from the Tate brothers' business activities. No tax or VAT had been paid on the funds, which had been laundered through the bank accounts that were the subject of the previous applications, the court heard. Detective Superintendent Jon Bancroft said: 'This latest judgement follows on from our applications made against the Tate brothers, which resulted in a successful ruling in December 2024 and the forfeiture of nearly £2.7 million of criminal funds. 'From the outset, we aimed to demonstrate that Andrew and Tristan Tate evaded their tax obligations and laundered money. We succeeded in doing exactly that and we have succeeded again this week. 'This further successful outcome shows how we will relentlessly pursue all criminal funds without fear or favour. In a statement, the force said the money would be distributed in line with the Proceeds of Crime Act and would benefit communities, victims of crime and vulnerable people, while the Treasury would receive 50 per cent to be spent on public services. Mr Tate, a former professional kickboxer, faces a civil trial at the High Court next summer over claims of rape and sexual violence brought by four women. He and his brother are also facing prosecution in Romania over allegations of trafficking minors, sexual intercourse with a minor and money laundering. Solve the daily Crossword
The Independent
4 days ago
- The Independent
Police seize £180,000 Aston Martin deposit from Andrew Tate
Police have seized £180,000 from Andrew Tate after a court heard he paid the money for a special edition Aston Martin through tax evasion and money laundering. Devon and Cornwall Police obtained account freezing and forfeiture orders at Westminster Magistrates' Court for the Valhalla supercar deposit. The funds added to almost £2.7m of criminal assets seized from Mr Tate and his brother Tristan since December 2024. In a statement, the force said the money will be distributed in line with the Proceeds of Crime Act and will benefit communities, victims of crime and vulnerable people, while the Treasury will receive 50 per cent to be spent on public services. The police action was submitted to the court on the same basis as previous applications made by the force last year. At that time, Judge Goldspring said in his judgment that he was satisfied of the "overall criminality of deliberate and dishonest cheat of the revenue". He added that the Tate brothers had "engaged in long-standing conduct to evade their tax". Mr Tate, a former professional kickboxer, faces a civil trial at the High Court next summer over claims of rape and sexual violence brought by four women.
The Independent
13-06-2025
- The Independent
Gold from toilet stolen from Blenheim Palace ‘may have been smuggled abroad'
Gold from a toilet stolen from Blenheim Palace may have been smuggled out of the UK as police hunt a 'significant amount' in criminal assets linked to the thieves behind the heist. James Sheen is believed to have had the £4.75 million 18-carat gold toilet broken up before he tried selling the parts to underworld contacts, prompting searches in Birmingham and Hatton Garden in London, Thames Valley Police said. But the force said it is working with international partners and has not ruled out the chance that the gold was moved overseas. Detective Superintendent Bruce Riddell told the PA news agency: 'It could have got abroad. 'Obviously, there's restrictions on moving gold outside the country and if you're doing that you're taking a bit of a chance going through a border. 'So, it's probably more likely to be that at least the identity of it has changed in the UK before it was moved anywhere else.' Mr Riddell said the next stage of the probe is the identification and recovery of criminal assets, including luxury goods bought after the crime. He said: 'We will continue to explore all opportunities, along with our partners, to recover assets from those connected to this investigation and their criminality.' On 'career criminal' Sheen specifically, he said: 'Additional financial investigations are actively ongoing with our partners for a significant amount in assets.' The officer added: 'All he wants to do is make as much money as quickly as possible. 'He's not frightened of who he hurts or what he damages or the sentimental value of some of the items that he will steal.' The force has applied for a serious crime prevention order (SCPO) to take effect upon Sheen's release from prison, which if breached could mean he faces another five years behind bars. Sheen was jailed for four years and his sentence will run consecutively to the 19 years and four-month sentence he is currently serving for attacks on cash machines, a museum burglary and fraud. Sheen admitted stealing the toilet and Michael Jones was found guilty of burglary after a trial. The pair were previously convicted in a Trading Standards investigation of defrauding elderly people by charging them 'way over the odds' for poor roofing work, Mr Riddell said. Frederick Doe was convicted of conspiracy to transfer criminal property and was given a suspended sentence. Mr Riddell said the investigation following the toilet theft was 'complex', with hundreds of hours of CCTV footage reviewed, more than 2,000 statements recovered, mobile devices seized and 12 people arrested in total. Officers found images and voice notes on Sheen's phone allegedly showing the gains he had made from the theft, as well as traces of gold on gloves and a tracksuit. The case is to be reviewed by senior detectives, with Mr Riddell 'confident' they know at least two other alleged offenders but there is not yet enough evidence to charge them. There may also be a 'lot of people' involved in handling the gold who 'aren't fully aware that they are committing crime', the officer added.
Irish Times
14-05-2025
- Irish Times
Five-bedroom home of notorious armed robber put up for sale by Cab
The house of an armed robber has been offered for sale by the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) despite the robbery gang leader having fought the case to the Supreme Court. The five-bedroom property, in Clonee on the Dublin-Meath boundary, is now on the market with an asking price of €345,000. Its former owner, Stefan Saunders (47), was jailed in 2018 for 7½ years after gardaí foiled a cash-in-transit armed robbery in 2016. Along with other gang members, he tried to steal more than €2 million from a cash-in-transit van. Saunders was also convicted of possession of a semi-automatic pistol. The property seized from him is 255sq m and is described by Wilsons Auctions as having an 'open-plan livingroom, diningroom and sunroom, kitchen, five bedrooms, master with en suite and walk-in wardrobe and main bathroom'. Saunders spent some €120,000 on extending the house, which included expensive sanitary ware, furnishings, projector screens and a Jacuzzi. The double-fronted semidetached house was taken possession of four months ago by Cab, after a protracted legal process, including Saunders attempting to bring the case for hearing before the Supreme Court. The house will be sold in an online public auction in two weeks. READ MORE In its case against Saunders in the High Court, Cab's evidence was that the Dubliner was also involved in the €1.8 million Brinks Allied security van robbery in Artane, Dublin in 2005. He was forensically linked to a vehicle used in a 'tiger kidnapping' of a cash transit firm employee. In October 2022, the High Court found the five-bed house at Hazelbury Park, Clonee, Dublin 15, was acquired and renovated with the proceeds of crime. The court also ruled the mortgage on the property, where Saunders lived with his wife, Tammy, was paid with such funds until they fell into arrears in 2010. Mr Justice Alexander Owens also ruled that a rental property the couple sold, businesses and expensive cars were funded in the same way. A valuer noted the Hazelbury Park home, which was purchased in 2005 for €360,000 with a 90 per cent mortgage, was refurbished to the 'highest standard' in 2007. The couple denied the assets derived from the proceeds of crime and claimed the funds came from valid employment, gifts and savings. Ruling in the Cab's case brought under the 1996 Proceeds of Crime Act, the judge said he was satisfied he was a member of a 'gang of robbers' who funded a 'spending spree' on these assets by Saunders and his wife between 2005 and 2008. Saunders also had a second buy-to-rent property at Mayeston Lawn, Finglas. [ Robbery gang member fails to convince Supreme Court to hear appeal over order on home Opens in new window ] The court ruled the proceeds of crime was used to fund a number of businesses and to buy expensive cars, including a €98,000 BMW X5. The judge said 'money from unidentified sources' was used to provide working capital for the interior decoration business Tammy Saunders worked in, U Design of Berkeley Road, Dublin, which was established in June 2005. Money from unidentified sources was used to open and operate hair salons in Berkeley Road and in Meakstown, near Finglas, he said. Cash from unidentified sources was used to renovate a house owned by Saunders's mother-in-law and her partner in 2006. The source of €17,500 bail money which his mother-in-law put up in November 2006 for Stefan Saunders, who was before the courts on a drugs charge which was later dropped, was also unidentified.
