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| HMRC confirms it is involved in major global tax investigation | HMRC confirms it is involved in major global tax investigation |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| UK tax authorities have launched an investigation into suspected tax evasion and money laundering by an unnamed “global financial institution” and some of its employees. | |
| “The first phase of the investigation, which will see further, targeted, activity over the coming weeks, is focused on senior employees from within the institution, along with a number of its customers,” HM Revenue & Customs said in a statement. | |
| HMRC said it could give no further details about the inquiry as it was an ongoing investigation. | HMRC said it could give no further details about the inquiry as it was an ongoing investigation. |
| Earlier on Friday, Dutch investigators said they had seized paintings, a gold bar and jewellery and arrested two people as part of an international hunt for tax evaders, after receiving a tipoff about 55,000 suspect accounts at a Swiss bank. | |
| They said there had been coordinated raids on Thursday in the Netherlands, Britain, Germany, France and Australia. | They said there had been coordinated raids on Thursday in the Netherlands, Britain, Germany, France and Australia. |
| UK and Dutch authorities did not identify the bank. | UK and Dutch authorities did not identify the bank. |
| However, Swiss bank Credit Suisse said on Friday its offices in London, Paris and Amsterdam had been contacted by local authorities concerning client tax matters and it was cooperating with the authorities. | However, Swiss bank Credit Suisse said on Friday its offices in London, Paris and Amsterdam had been contacted by local authorities concerning client tax matters and it was cooperating with the authorities. |
| The HMRC said: “Yesterday HMRC, working with our international partners, launched a criminal investigation into suspected tax evasion and money laundering by a global financial institution and certain of its employees. | |
| “The international reach of this investigation sends a clear message that there is no hiding place for those seeking to evade tax.” | “The international reach of this investigation sends a clear message that there is no hiding place for those seeking to evade tax.” |
| The Dutch are “investigating dozens of people who are suspected of tax fraud and money laundering”, the prosecutors said in a statement. | The Dutch are “investigating dozens of people who are suspected of tax fraud and money laundering”, the prosecutors said in a statement. |
| Suspects deposited money in a Swiss bank and did not disclose that to authorities, the statement said. | Suspects deposited money in a Swiss bank and did not disclose that to authorities, the statement said. |
| The Swiss office of the attorney general said it was “disconcerted” by the way Dutch authorities had handled the matter and would demand an explanation. | The Swiss office of the attorney general said it was “disconcerted” by the way Dutch authorities had handled the matter and would demand an explanation. |
| The Netherlands’ office for financial crimes prosecution (FIOD) spokeswoman Wietske Vissers said the investigation would “continue for days and weeks” across the various countries. The Netherlands is investigating 3,800 Dutch leads. | |
| Australia’s minister for revenue and financial services, Kelly O’Dwyer, said the country’s financial crime investigator was looking at 340 Australians linked to Swiss bank accounts, which she said were only identified by number. | Australia’s minister for revenue and financial services, Kelly O’Dwyer, said the country’s financial crime investigator was looking at 340 Australians linked to Swiss bank accounts, which she said were only identified by number. |
| “The fact that these accounts are unnamed means that by their very nature they are likely to have been established to hide the identity of the owner,” O’Dwyer said. | “The fact that these accounts are unnamed means that by their very nature they are likely to have been established to hide the identity of the owner,” O’Dwyer said. |
| Dutch authorities declined to give details of how the tipoff they received enabled them to connect the bank accounts to individuals. | |
| The FIOD said it seized administrative records as well as the contents of bank accounts, jewellery, a luxury car, expensive paintings and a gold bar from houses in The Hague, Hoofddorp, Zwolle and the municipality of Venlo in the Netherlands. | The FIOD said it seized administrative records as well as the contents of bank accounts, jewellery, a luxury car, expensive paintings and a gold bar from houses in The Hague, Hoofddorp, Zwolle and the municipality of Venlo in the Netherlands. |
| The people arrested, one in The Hague and one in Hoofddorp, were not identified. | |
| Vissers referred questions about investigations in the other countries to their national police and to Eurojust, the EU agency that coordinates cross-border prosecutions, for further information. | |
| Eurojust could not immediately be reached for comment. | Eurojust could not immediately be reached for comment. |
| The Dutch government has passed information to the other countries about 55,000 suspect accounts at the bank. | The Dutch government has passed information to the other countries about 55,000 suspect accounts at the bank. |