Vantis wives embroiled in Revenue case
THE wives of two leading City accountants have been caught up in the tax controversy surrounding Vantis, the publicly-quoted accountancy group.
Morning Wire has learnt that Shirley Faichney and Nicola Perrin will both face charges of “cheating Her Majesty and the public revenue,” charges that they reject.
A spokesman yesterday told Morning Wire: “We can confirm that Shirley Faichney and Nicola Perrin are the wives of Vantis employees Roy Faichney and David Perrin. The wives are not employed by Vantis.”
Over the weekend it emerged that Roy Faichney and David Perrin, both senior Vantis employees, were facing charges. The Vantis men and their wives are all being represented by the law firm DLA Piper.
Morning Wire can also reveal that a fifth person, Vikash Kukar, has also been charged. Vantis said all five people had been charged.
The five are facing claims, which they reject, that they set up a sophisticated scheme that HMRC alleges evaded tax on £219m of revenue. All five have been summoned to appear at Highbury Corner magistrates’ court on 30 October. The firm’s clients are said to include former England rugby captain Martin Corry and Yusuf Islam, the singer formerly known as Cat Stevens.
Faichney, a former tax inspector, is managing director of Vantis’s tax division. Perrin, who also started his career with the Inland Revenue, is a chartered tax adviser for the firm.