One Cardiff burger bar evaded more than £400,000
The latest tax evasion list names and shames deliberate defaulters from Wales including three restaurants. A person or business appears on the list if they have intentionally defaulted on more than £25,000 in tax.
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) updates its list roughly every three months. It says the purpose is “influencing behaviour by encouraging defaulters to engage with HMRC”. Before updating its list the authority gives each defaulter an opportunity to argue why their details should not be published.
Defaulters’ details are removed from the list after 12 months. Below are the Wales-based names on the list, which was last updated on June 27. We have made efforts to approach the people and businesses listed.
Jo Sams Cardiff
Jo Sams Cardiff Ltd, which traded as the Uncle Sam’s burger bar in Cathays, Cardiff, deliberately defaulted on £427,622 in tax between June 2019 and March 2023, resulting in a penalty of £223,118.
The American-inspired takeaway remains on Crwys Road but an employee told us the current owner took over about six months ago with a separate company and had nothing to do with the tax-dodging.
Joanne Platt, 62, and Mohammad Ibrahim Safikhani, 50, were directors of Jo Sams Cardiff Ltd during the tax evasion period. The company’s accounts have been overdue since March 2024 and there is an active proposal for it to be struck from the companies register.
Khadiza
Khadiza Ltd traded as Abdul’s Spice, an Indian takeaway in Quay Street, Cardigan. Between January 2020 and December 2021 the business evaded £85,510 in tax, leading to a penalty of £35,914.
When we called the restaurant, now named Abdul’s Tandoori Spice, the owner said he took over with a different company in March 2024, long after the tax evasion, and added: “We had nothing to do with it.” The popular restaurant has an average rating of 4.6 stars on Google reviews.
Khadiza’s accounts have been overdue since last September and there is an active proposal to strike it from the register. Its sole director is 62-year-old Abdul Mosabbir.
New Haven Pizza
New Haven Pizza Ltd operated a takeaway of the same name on Albany Road in Roath, Cardiff, where it dodged £107,242 between March 2020 and February 2023. HMRC has since imposed a penalty of £54,425.
The business’ accounts have been overdue since last November and there is an active proposal for strike-off. Its directors during the default period were 42-year-old Bassam Alo and 24-year-old Rustom Ahmad.
Matthew Bowen
Matthew Bowen, from Rhondda Cynon Taf, evaded £103,408 in tax between April 2018 and April 2024. The 36-year-old self-employed scaffolder has been handed a penalty of £66,956.
Last year we reported on Mr Bowen’s experience of a dental operation in Turkey, which he described as “the worst mistake” of his life having spent £14,000 on the surgery, travel and accommodation — only for his new gnashers to allegedly start “falling apart” within weeks.
This week, when we asked about his appearance on the tax defaulters list, Mr Bowen, of Bryntirion in Ynysboeth, Abercynon, denied wrongdoing and told us our phone call was the first he had heard about it. He said he would call us back in half an hour but did not do so.
The next day we rang him again and he said: “I dunno what to say to be honest. I’ve been trying to contact HMRC but I’m on hold. If I thought I done wrong I wouldn’t be trying to ring them.” You can read more on Mr Bowen’s case here.
Christopher Whitcombe
Christopher Lance Whitcombe, an engineer based at Gelli Deg in Fforestfach, Swansea, deliberately defaulted on £54,598 in tax between April 2017 and April 2020, resulting in a £46,596 penalty.
Robert James
Robert Lee Jack James, a builder based at Barrack Row in Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, evaded £40,961 in tax between April 2021 and April 2023, prompting HMRC to issue a penalty of £27,239.
Luke Wilson
Duct fitter Luke David Wilson was based at various addresses in North Cornelly, Bridgend, when he failed to pay £34,892 in tax between April 2016 and April 2023. HMRC has imposed a £23,988 penalty.
Richard Hopkins
Richard David Hopkins is a subcontractor based at Ty Duffryn in Vale Park, Rhyl, and formerly of Penley Avenue in Prestatyn and Grosvenor Road in the same town. Between April 2017 and April 2023 he evaded £36,303 in tax. He must pay a penalty of £24,958.
Other tax dodgers in Wales
The current list names several other deliberate tax defaulters from Wales whose names and details we included in this story earlier this year.