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Insurance Fraud Investigators Group: Leeds solicitor jailed for tax fraud

10 Years Ago



A solicitor from Leeds has been jailed for 21 months after he attempted to pocket £133,000 in a tax fraud.  


Timothy Thomas Rogers, 35, owner of Rogers & Co Solicitors in Leeds, was caught by investigators from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) after they discovered discrepancies in property sales where he had acted as the convincing solicitor. 

  
Investigators found that Rogers had altered legal documents to reduce the amount of Stamp Duty due on properties bought by his clients.  


However, he then charged them the full amount and simply pocketed the difference.  
In an attempt to cover up the fraud he submitted Land Registry documents showing the true purchase price for the properties. HMRC investigators uncovered eight property transactions in which Rogers had defrauded his clients. 

  
Rogers submitted false VAT refund claims totaling more than £79,000 between April 2011 and June 2011.  


He was caught out when he refused to hand over the paperwork needed to support his claims. He also pleaded guilty to fraud after deducting more than £4,000 in Income Tax and National Insurance contributions from his two employees, but again he simply pocketed the cash.  


Jo Tyler, assistant director of criminal investigation at HMRC, said: "As a solicitor, Timothy Rogers knew only too well what the consequences of his actions would be. To abuse the trust of clients and employees was a despicable act, trying to steal money that had been paid by them in good faith to meet their tax liabilities.  


"Today's sentence should serve as a reminder to those who hold positions of trust that the justice system takes a firm line on those who fall foul of the law."  


Rogers was arrested and questioned by officers from HMRC and later charged with two counts of cheating the public revenue and was sentenced today to 21 months in prison by Her Honour Judge Cahill at Leeds Crown Court.  


Rogers & Co Solicitors is registered to an address at Sandringham Avenue in Knottingley. Timothy Thomas Rogers is listed as the sole director.