R v Da Rocha
Julian King instructed by CPS Specialist Fraud Division prosecuted a man who was found guilty of a sophisticated and prolonged VAT and income tax fraud.
Ricardo Da Rocha ran Mario’s Pizza and Kebab House in the centre of Carlisle and admitted to VAT and income tax evasion to a value of £116,000. He also pleaded guilty to an offence of money laundering.
Carlisle Crown Court heard that from 2012 to 2014 the restaurant had a turnover of over £570,000. Mr Rocha used numerous bank accounts to hide his true income, and over a two year period provided false records to his accountant and HMRC. He underpaid his income tax by £37,000 and hid online income for the business to avoid VAT to over £79,000.
The Recorder of Carlisle, His Honour Judge Batty QC, described the case as a “serious fraud”. Mr Rocha was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, with a community order for 200 hours of unpaid work.
Read the news report from the Carlisle News and Star.
