Former Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone is to be charged with fraud by false representation over an alleged failure to declare £400 million ($477m) In overseas assets to the British government, prosecutors said on Monday.
The charge against the 91-year-old was authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service after an investigation by the UK's HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
“The [Crown Prosecution Service] has reviewed a file of evidence from HMRC and has authorised a charge against Bernard Ecclestone of fraud by false representation in respect of his failure to declare to HMRC the existence of assets held overseas believed to be worth in excess of £400m,” said Andrew Penhale, the chief crown prosecutor.
Mr Ecclestone is the former chief executive of the Formula One Group, which manages Formula One motor racing and holds the commercial rights to the sport.
After four decades at the top of the sport, his financial worth has been estimated at £2.5 billion, Forbes magazine reported.
He is widely credited with transforming Formula One into a commercial powerhouse. Following a brief career as a racing driver in the late 1950s, he became the owner of the Brabham F1 team.
Mr Ecclestone's control over F1 developed from what was then the pioneering sale of television rights in the late 1970s.
He was removed from his position as chief executive of Formula One Group in January 2017 following its takeover by Liberty Media.
Simon York of HMRC said the investigation had been “complex and worldwide”.
“We can confirm that a fraud by false representation charge has been authorised against Bernard Ecclestone,” he said.
“This follows a complex and worldwide criminal investigation by HMRC's fraud investigation service.
“The criminal charge relates to projected tax liabilities arising from more than £400m of offshore assets which were concealed from HMRC.”
He added: “Our message is clear — no one is beyond our reach.”
The case will first be heard at Westminster Magistrates' Court on August 22.
ICC T20 Team of 2021
Jos Buttler, Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, David Miller, Tabraiz Shamsi, Josh Hazlewood, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mustafizur Rahman, Shaheen Afridi
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Champions parade (UAE timings)
7pm Gates open
8pm Deansgate stage showing starts
9pm Parade starts at Manchester Cathedral
9.45pm Parade ends at Peter Street
10pm City players on stage
11pm event ends
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Generation Start-up: Awok company profile
Started: 2013
Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 600 plus
Stage: still in talks with VCs
Principal Investors: self-financed by founder
The biog
Favourite hobby: I love to sing but I don’t get to sing as much nowadays sadly.
Favourite book: Anything by Sidney Sheldon.
Favourite movie: The Exorcist 2. It is a big thing in our family to sit around together and watch horror movies, I love watching them.
Favourite holiday destination: The favourite place I have been to is Florence, it is a beautiful city. My dream though has always been to visit Cyprus, I really want to go there.
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh1,100,000 (est)
Engine 5.2-litre V10
Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch
Power 630bhp @ 8,000rpm
Torque 600Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined 15.7L / 100km (est)
UAE%20medallists%20at%20Asian%20Games%202023
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
