Illegal EBTs and Sporting Advantage question remains

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Sir David Murray, Campbell Ogilvie, Dave King, as directors of a football club, you presided over tax evasion. While ordinary men and women have no choice, or criminal urge, to avoid paying for public services, you directed a deception on an industrial scale.

Sir David Murray and Campbell Ogilvie have their influence and signatures all over this act. The SFA was quick to discipline and sine die Craig Whyte after he was out of the game, it must now charge Murray and Ogilvie with bringing the game into disrepute. The stale influence of cronyism at Hampden must be routed and seen to be so.

The SPFL instructed an inquiry three years ago but with this verdict in, the SFA must appoint their own inquiry.

Why did the processes at Hampden allow this to happen and continue without check?

Why did Rangers get their European licence in 2011 despite being in arrears to HMRC, in contravention of that licence?  Who was responsible for this decision?

Why was a director and signatory of Rangers illegal tax schemes elected and reappointed president of the SFA?

How transparent were the SFA and the SPL in their handling of these tax evasion charges?

Was the SPL inquiry commissioned to uncover the facts, or to meet a desired objective?  Who prepared the inquiry remit and who signed off on that remit?

Lord Nimmo Smith found that legally executed Employee Benefit Trusts did not confer a significant sporting advantage.  In light of what I have already read of the verdict, we must now discover if such widespread illegal Employee Benefit Trusts conferred a sporting advantage.  This question has not been asked yet.

It’s time for football to shake off the shackles of corruption in Scotland, as elsewhere.

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  1. The Battered Bunnet on

    Dharma, Geordie

     

     

    PR is a dirty game at times. There is a singular objective, and the means are justified by the end. It’s oblivious to the impact on the individual, and indeed, the individual is often the objective.

     

     

    As I said, our experience was shared in at least half a dozen different homes that week, some of whom friends, some bloggers, some local to this parish. None of us in any way connected to the narrative spun.

     

     

    When, for example, you’re playing for £100M tax and the continuation of a Scottish Instituion, the end is all that really matters.

     

     

    It was, I understand, really rather typical.

  2. Just like to say a BIG BIG thanks too James Forrest for his brilliant writing,guys a genius IMO.happy days my fellow TIMS!

  3. Celtic were cheated of a Scottish Cup win in 2002.

     

     

    ———————————————————————————————————

     

     

    4 May 2002

     

    Celtic 2 – 3 Rangers

     

    Hartson Goal 19′

     

    Baldé Goal 50′ Report Løvenkrands Goal 21′, 90′

     

    Ferguson Goal 69′

     

    Hampden Park, Glasgow

     

    Attendance: 51,138

     

    Referee: Hugh Dallas

     

     

    CELTIC: Honestly paid all by the book –

     

    GK 20 Scotland Robert Douglas

     

    DF 35 Sweden Johan Mjällby

     

    DF 6 Guinea Bobo Baldé

     

    DF 17 France Didier Agathe

     

    MF 18 Northern Ireland Neil Lennon

     

    MF 14 Scotland Paul Lambert (c) Substituted off 45′

     

    MF 19 Bulgaria Stiliyan Petrov

     

    MF 8 England Alan Thompson

     

    FW 7 Sweden Henrik Larsson

     

    FW 9 England Chris Sutton

     

    FW 10 Wales John Hartson

     

     

    Manager:

     

    Northern Ireland Martin O’Neill

     

     

    RANGERS: the whole team had an EBT ??????

     

    GK 1 Germany Stefan Klos (EBT)

     

    DF 8 Scotland Maurice Ross (EBT)

     

    DF 4 Italy Lorenzo Amoruso (EBT)

     

    DF 3 Australia Craig Moore (EBT)

     

    DF 5 Netherlands Arthur Numan (EBT)

     

    MF 6 Scotland Barry Ferguson (EBT)

     

    MF 10 Netherlands Ronald de Boer (EBT)

     

    MF 2 Netherlands Fernando Ricksen (EBT)

     

    MF 9 Denmark Peter Løvenkrands (EBT)

     

    FW 11 Scotland Neil McCann (EBT)

     

    FW 7 Argentina Claudio Caniggia (EBT) Substituted off 22′

     

     

    Manager:

     

    Scotland Alex McLeish (EBT)

  4. Saint Stivs

     

     

    What a list that is.

     

     

    The money paid for them and to them was and remains obscene.

     

     

    When any of their fans speak of any timmy conspiracy then a few of these names and the money given to them will shut them up – correction should shut them up.

     

     

    HH

  5. CELTIC WERE CHEATED OF A LEAGUE CUP WIN IN 2003

     

     

    ——————————————–

     

     

    16 March 2003

     

    Celtic 1 – 2 Rangers

     

    Larsson Goal 57′ Report Caniggia (EBT)Goal 23′

     

    Løvenkrands (EBT) Goal 35′

     

     

    Hampden Park, Glasgow

     

    Attendance: 52,000

     

    Referee: Kenny Clark

     

     

    Celtic

     

     

     

    CELTIC : honestly paid and turned up from representing Scotland in Europe –

     

     

    GK 20 Scotland Robert Douglas

     

    CB 35 Sweden Johan Mjällby Substituted off 88′

     

    CB 6 Guinea Bobo Baldé

     

    CB 5 Belgium Joos Valgaeren

     

    RM 39 Scotland Jamie Smith Substituted off 66′

     

    CM 18 Northern Ireland Neil Lennon Red card 88′

     

    CM 14 Scotland Paul Lambert (c)

     

    CM 9 England Chris Sutton Substituted off 80′

     

    LM 8 England Alan Thompson

     

    CF 7 Sweden Henrik Larsson

     

    CF 10 Wales John Hartson

     

    Substitutes:

     

    GK 22 Scotland David Marshall

     

    DF 4 Scotland Jackie McNamara

     

    MF 19 Bulgaria Stiliyan Petrov Substituted in 88′

     

    MF 3 Guinea Momo Sylla Substituted in 66′

     

    FW 29 Scotland Shaun Maloney Substituted in 80′

     

    Manager:

     

    Northern Ireland Martin O’Neill

     

     

    RANGERS :

     

    GK 1 Germany Stefan Klos (EBT)

     

    RB 2 Netherlands Fernando Ricksen (EBT)

     

    CB 4 Italy Lorenzo Amoruso (EBT)

     

    CB 3 Australia Craig Moore (EBT)

     

    LB 5 France Jérôme Bonnissel (EBT) Substituted off 64′

     

    RM 7 Argentina Claudio Caniggia (EBT)

     

    CM 6 Scotland Barry Ferguson (c) (EBT)

     

    CM 8 Spain Mikel Arteta (EBT) Substituted off 78′

     

    LM 11 Denmark Peter Løvenkrands (EBT)

     

    CF 9 Netherlands Ronald de Boer (EBT) Substituted off 86′

     

    CF 10 Netherlands Michael Mols (EBT)

     

     

    INDUSTRIAL SCALE SYSTEMIC CHEATING

  6. What a lovely day today. Firstly I would like to say a massive thank you to all the guys who did the hard work doing the real reporting on this story we all know who they are. Next I don’t see today’s result changing much of what has gone before as most Scottish football supporters are not inclined to vilify the team in blue from Govan. Perhaps if it was our team who had done this there would be an outcry for us to be punished but as it’s the establishment team I won’t hold my breath. A couple of questions now. If HMRC chase BDO for payment then surely the true identity of the owners of castle greyskull will be unmasked to allow it’s sale for some part of the debt to be repaid ? (CAN’T WAIT TO FIND OUT OWNERS NAME). If anyone in SFA or SPFL has the balls to find them guilty of cheating and reversing the results of matches in which they cheated to 3 – 0 to the opposition would that rule out a lot of Kris Boyd’s goals hence reinstating Henrik as top goalscorer in the SPL? These 2 questions are asked more in fantasy as we live in the “BEST WEE COUNTRY IN THE WORLD” . A final point I read on the site about a proposed meeting of Celtic and the blue team from Govan playing a match in Australia. I pray to god this isn’t true as we should not be in anyway assisting their financial plight as a match like this surely would. Our custodians should hear a loud disapproving voice to this from our supporters. Once again thanks to the bhoys who refused to let go of the bone. You have made an old man very happy.

     

     

    KEEP THE FAITH

  7. No they have not suffered enough, not by a long chalk. They deserve to suffer for many, many years more. However should they die, again, and have the decency to remain dead this time I may revise my opinion.

  8. sixtaeseven - Gardez la Foi on

    O.G.Rafferty

     

     

    Thanks for that link.

     

     

    So Celts cheated out of 5 SPL titles.

     

     

    Celts, Falkirk, QoS and Dundee cheated out of 1 SC each.

     

     

    Celts cheated out of 2 LCs.

     

    St Mirren, Dundee Unt and Motherwell cheated out of 1 LC each.

     

     

    And that’s just the EBT years…

  9. Help

     

     

    This is all Chinese to me

     

     

    I’m guessing best we can hope for is another big points dedication for them ?

     

     

    Will the 4+years off silence from our board now all add into one big hard hitting statement ??????? I’d love to see it

  10. Blooming heck

     

     

    Jackie McNamara named as New York manager…

     

     

    Oh sorry…the new York manager

     

     

    Manhattan CSC

  11. Geordie Munro on 4th November 2015 2:15 pm

     

     

    Thanks Geordie Munro .

     

     

    unexpected Birthday surprise today from hmrc

     

     

    birthday begins in earnest tomorrow with a win at Paradise

     

     

    HH

  12. The Battered Bunnet on 4th November 2015 2:32 pm

     

     

    Horrendous , some of us can never imagine what you and your family went through…..respect sir to you and your wife for sticking to the job despite the threats.

     

     

    Puts things into perspective

     

     

    HH

  13. The Battered Bunnet on

    Dena, small beer compared to what some endured.

     

     

    And, truth be told, I didn’t stick with it. I’ve hardly muttered a peep in anger since. That was the advice. Common sense after all. Geddit?

     

     

    That’s how it works.

  14. Without using the words “its aw’ Jim Murphy’s fault” I’d now like to see the Scottish Government issuing an unambiguous statement emphasising the critical import of taxation compliance as Scotland moves forward. Eck / Wee Nikki can even ask Uncle Rupert to get the Currant Hun onside with the principle of us becoming a tax compliant nation.

  15. TheTimReaper

     

     

    I agree.

     

     

    The 7.5 million loss should read 16.1 million.

     

     

    The 5 million loan from Big Mike, the 2.8 million equity release and 800,000 for the sale of Lewis McLeod were all subtracted from the real loss figure.

     

     

    The same old spin and dodgy accounting in evidence on Hector Day.

     

     

    Spending money they don’t have.

     

    Spending other people’s money.

     

     

    Warbs, as a city investor type chap should speak to his chums and get then heck out of Dodge(y) City.

  16. TBB,

     

     

    I was totally unaware of what you allude to and sickened by what might have happened to you and your family. Scotland has a long way to go to be a truly civilised country. Still, today’s verdict marks an important start and maybe a new beginning. Hopefully, our football authorities too will act upon the Court’s findings.

  17. DD will say it was merely an oversight by the hun administrator and no harm done and they are a great team with a great history and they are sorely missed in the SPL and the sooner they are back in it with us the better……….spew………vomit…..barff………

     

     

    Wontcha Dermot??

  18. traditionalist88 on

    Rangers Tax-Case ‏@rangerstaxcase 56s57 seconds ago

     

     

    About those titles (and cups). The SPFL & SFA can re-open the case or it can choose to disgrace and devalue their competitions.

  19. Tbb,

     

     

    Frightening.

     

     

    Ktf.

     

     

     

    Dena,

     

     

     

    Oooooh that’d be a luverly belated present. :)

     

     

    HH

  20. Wednesday 04 Nov 2015

     

    Rangers: winning titles but cheating the taxman

     

     

    261 1932 2 3

     

     

    The judgement by three Scottish Law Lords is as comprehensive as it is damning. Whilst Rangers FC were busy winning titles and silverware the entire basis upon which they paid many players and executives should have attracted income tax and did not do so.

     

     

    Hundreds of thousands of pounds was paid in “loans” through a trust scheme which at the time was seen as a way of avoiding paying income tax. You may wonder why Rangers – and other clubs – could exist in some kind of non-PAYE parallel universe. Now the Law Lords have wondered too and simply stated that “common sense” would suggest Rangers should have paid tax like the rest of the UK does.

     

     

    Further – the non payment of tax allowed the club to buy and pay players it could not otherwise have afforded. A previous legal judgement ruled that the club gained no advantage. Today’s successful appeal by the HMRC would seem to bring that ruling into question.

     

     

    There is no getting away from it – the upheld appeal means Rangers were systematically cheating the taxman whilst winning titles on the pitch.

     

     

    04 rangers g w Rangers: winning titles but cheating the taxman

     

     

    HMRC will now lodge a claim with the old Rangers company which will be substantially bigger now they have won their appeal. The taxman believes the old company still has money and they say they are due some of it now in unpaid taxation. They also point out that the old Rangers club can also appeal if they wish, to the Supreme Court.

     

     

    An HMRC spokesman told Channel 4 News:

     

     

    “As supported by the decision in this case, HMRC’s view is that Employment Benefit Trust avoidance schemes do not work. HMRC has collected over £1.3 billion tax through 1500 users of similar schemes.”

     

     

    That is why the Rangers test case means so much. We are talking about a great number of these tax avoidance schemes and £1.3 billion clawed back from wealthy punters who may have thought they could get away with it should be applauded the length and breadth of the land today.

     

     

     

    The judgement delivered by Lord Drummond Young reads:

     

     

    “A scheme involving payments to various trusts set up in respect of executives and footballers employed by the former Rangers Football Club amounted to “a mere redirection of emoluments or earnings” and was accordingly “subject to income tax”.

     

     

    The Lord Justice Clerk, Lord Carloway and Lord Drummond Young heard that Rangers ran these tax-avoidance trusts from 2001 to 2009.

     

     

    The judges said there was a “fundamental principle” in this case that “if income is derived from an employee’s services… it is… earnings and is thus accessible to income tax”.

     

     

    You have to sit back in wonder and astonishment that this simple common sense approach has taken so long and so much money spent on lawyers by the HMRC to be upheld. But we are where we are.

     

     

    Lord Drummond Young said of the side-letters which were used to pay footballers extra money at Rangers:

     

     

    “It seems to us to be self-evident that the obligations in the side-letter were part of the employee’s employment package, and provided him with extra remuneration. They were negotiated as part of the total employment package…it inevitably follows that those payments represented emoluments or earnings of the footballer in question.”

     

     

    And thus they should have attracted a quaint old thing called income tax.

     

     

    “Self-evident”…”common sense” – the judgement is festooned with phrases like this. How come it has taken so very long for such common sense and the self evident to make itself what it always should have been: obvious.

     

     

    You get money. You pay tax. Even at Ibrox.

  21. Andrew Kerins Green and White Army on

    They’ll never suffer enough oh hang on they’re deid

     

    Walking dead fc going the same way

  22. mike in toronto on

    some random thoughts after reading back

     

     

     

    !. woo bloody hoo!!!!

     

     

    2. Is the reference to a Celtic Sevco game in Oz a joke?

     

     

    3. This shows what can be done when an aggrieved party has the stones to take a stand publicly.

     

     

    4. However, HRMC weren’t the only victims in this scam…. All of Scottish football, but most of all, Celtic, its players and supporters, were cheated ….. Surely, we can no longer continue to ‘keep our powder dry’….. time for Celtic to come out with a clear, unequivocal and public statement decrying the cheating.

  23. 67Heaven .. CHALLENGING THE LIE ..I am wee Oscar...... Ipox belongs to the creditors on

    Ipox will have to be mothballed now, by BDO, and sold after the Court cases…?

  24. I wonder if fans on other blogs are as delighted or as interested in today’s events as we are?

     

     

    Emdy?

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