Rob Cross: Darts star banned as director over unpaid tax of £450,000
Darts star Rob Cross has been banned from being a company director for five years after his company failed to pay almost half a million pounds in tax.
Cross, who won the World Championship in 2018 and is one of the leading names on the elite PDC tour, owed HMRC £465,403 when his company went into liquidation in late 2023.
The 34-year-old former electrician – nicknamed Voltage – has been disqualified as a director until 2030 following an investigation by the Insolvency Service.
Cross has also entered into an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) which legally obliges him to pay down the debt from prize money he accrues on the darts circuit.
“When directors fail to pay the correct amount of tax, it directly impacts the government’s ability to fund vital public services such as the NHS, schools, transport infrastructure, and our national defence,” said Insolvency Service chief investigator Kevin Read.
“Rob Cross’s company owed more than £400,000 in corporation tax alone when it went into liquidation. For more than three years, he withdrew funds from the company which should have gone to HMRC and other creditors.
Rob Cross Darts Limited owed £580,000
“This case demonstrates that we will pursue action against directors who deprive the public purse of much-needed funds. The rules apply equally to everyone in business, and we expect all company directors to comply with their legal responsibilities.
“Enforcing these rules consistently is crucial in maintaining a level playing field and preventing companies from gaining an unfair competitive advantage over compliant businesses that properly fulfil their tax obligations.”
Cross withdrew £300,000 from Rob Cross Darts Limited between March 2020 and November 2023 which should have been paid to creditors including HMRC, the investigation found.
His director’s loan account was also £423,608 in the red when the company went into liquidation with debts of £579,805.
Cross won his first tournament for more than a year at the Dutch Masters in January and followed that up weeks later at a Players Championship event.
He shot to fame by going from amateur to world champion in little more than a year and lost to Luke Littler in the 2024 semi-finals on the teenager’s Alexandra Palace debut.