VAT fraudsters who enjoyed lavish lifestyles jailed for more than 22 years

Four men who used a multimillion-pound VAT payroll fraud to fund their lavish lifestyles have been sentenced to more than 22 years in prison.

Martin Lang, 68, Graeme Cullen, 54, Leslie Thompson, 63, and Graham Newall, 49, used a network of companies to carry out the “complex” fraud, which saw them steal nearly £9 million over a 21-month period.

The Crown Office said the men charged VAT to companies for payroll services, but failed to hand over the tax they owed to His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Instead the money was redistributed from various bank accounts to each of the four accused, as well as to associates and family members.

In total, they stole £8.8 million between September 2015 and June 2017.

The money was spent on gold bullion, diamonds, luxury cars, clothes, expensive watches, holidays in Malaga and trips to the Grand National.

There had also been plans for a luxury property development in Bulgaria.

Cullen, of Giffnock, Renfrewshire, Thompson, of Bathgate, West Lothian, and Newall, of Edinburgh, were convicted by a jury following a seven-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow of the fraudulent evasion of £8,831,124 in VAT payments.

At the same court on Tuesday, Thompson was jailed for seven years, Cullen received a six-year prison sentence while Newall will serve five years and six months behind bars.

Lang, of Cambuslang, was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to stealing £4,813,493.

Charges for all four accused were aggravated by a connection to serious crime.

Prosecutor Sineidin Corrins, of the Crown Office, said: “This complex fraud was dismantled thanks to the tenacity, skill and dedication of prosecutors and HMRC investigators.

“I hope this sends a clear message to anyone involved in tax fraud that regardless of how complex it may be, we have the skills, resources and the determination to bring you to justice.

“The scale of the prison sentences reflects how seriously we view this offending against the UK tax system.

“Tax fraud is not a victimless crime. It steals money that funds the public services we all rely on in Scotland and the rest of the UK.

“These four individuals have now been brought to justice to account for their crimes.”