Raja Usman and his wife Khair Un Nisa, directors of Umbrella Care Ltd, have been banned from running companies after failing to pay over £30 million in taxes.
The Derby-based couple submitted inaccurate VAT, PAYE, and NIC returns from May 2017 to April 2020, under-declaring more than £33m owed to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
Usman, 38, was disqualified for 14 and a half years and ordered to pay £5,399.10 in costs. Nisa, 41, agreed to an 11-year disqualification in September 2023.
Lawrence Zussman, deputy head of Company Investigations at the Insolvency Service, said, “Raja Usman and Khair Un Nisa deliberately under-declared the amount of tax Umbrella Care was expected to pay by tens of millions of pounds. This was money that should have been used to provide vital public services and investment in areas such as schools, hospitals, and roads.”
Umbrella Care was wound up in November 2020, owing over £35 million to HMRC. Investigations revealed £12 million in under-declared VAT and £21.6m in under-declared PAYE and NIC.
Insolvency practitioners from Azets Holdings Ltd, working with HMRC and Wedlake Bell LLP, have recovered around £5.2m from various bank accounts and sold 14 properties for £7.3m. Further recoveries are expected to bring the total to approximately £14m.
Louise Brittain, joint liquidator at Azets, said, “Azets has conducted extensive investigations and litigation in this case to recover wrongfully removed company funds, and this has led to a considerable return to creditors. We are pleased that these actions have enabled the Insolvency Service to obtain the disqualifications and undertakings that they have, and this case demonstrates the strength of private and public sector working.”
The disqualifications prevent Usman and Nisa from involvement in the promotion, formation, or management of a company without court permission until 2034 and 2039, respectively.
Dharavi slum in Mumbai
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads not guilty to murder of BBC presenter's family
A 26-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC sports commentator John Hunt in a crossbow and knife attack.
Kyle Clifford, who also faces charges of rape, appeared via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.
Clifford, arrested in July after a manhunt, is charged with three counts of murder, one count each of rape and false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons – a 10-inch knife and a crossbow.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session.
He is expected to enter a plea for that charge at a later date.
The victims were Carol Hunt, 61, wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
An earlier hearing revealed that Louise had been found tied up and that both she and her sister had been shot with a crossbow, while their mother had been stabbed with a knife.
The fatal attack occurred at the family’s home in Bushey, a commuter town near Watford, northwest of London.
(With inputs from AFP)