Tax cheat jailed after falsely claiming £110k in VAT repayments

Car dealership director Gary Copus, 43, was arrested by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in March after investigations revealed he had submitted false invoices to reclaim VAT he said had been paid when buying cars.

Corpus, of Westbrook Terrace, pleaded guilty at Bradford Crown Court and was sentenced to 16 months behind bars.
HMRC’s Jo Tyler said: “Copus knew full well he was breaking the law, yet chose to overlook it for the opportunity of what he wrongly assumed would be easy money, at the expense of the taxpayer. He manipulated a system that exists for the benefit of legitimate companies with the sole purpose of lining his own pockets.

“This investigation shows that tax fraudsters have no place to hide and we will not stop in our pursuit of those involved in this type of criminal activity.”