Mrs Brown’s millions: How stars of hit BBC sitcom moved their pay to Mauritius
THrEE stars of bbC sitcom Mrs brown’s boys have become the latest celebrities accused of taking part in a tax avoidance scheme.
Patrick Houlihan and married couple Martin and Fiona Delany – the daughter of series creator brendan o’Carroll – are said to have diverted more than £2million of their earnings into companies based in Mauritius.
The cash was then sent back, purportedly as loans, it was alleged. The three actors play Dermot, Trevor and Maria brown, while Mr o’Carroll is matriarch agnes brown.
He has made millions off the concept, repeats, merchandise and spin-offs, and is not involved in offshore activity. The production company he leads pays the cast members through a uK-based company. However, it is alleged that Mr Houlihan and Mr and Mrs Delany have allowed some of their money to be transferred into a Mauri- tian trust, instead of being declared in a normal fashion, before it is eventually ‘loaned’ back to them.
The suspicion is that the ‘loans’ are created with the purpose of avoiding tax and none of them were repaid, meaning they were in effect a form of income that should have been taxed.
according to the leaked Paradise Papers, accountant roy Lyness was involved in set- ting up meetings which led to the actors taking part. Mr Lyness was also behind the controversial K2 scheme, which involved comedian Jimmy Carr.
Mr Houlihan was seemingly aware of Mr Lyness’s past. He told The Irish Times he joined the scheme without properly understanding it, and Mr Lyness assured him it was above board. He claimed to be speaking on behalf of Mr and Mrs Delany. ‘You never knew what the **** was going on,’ he said. ‘I was told the money went to a trust and it wasn’t mine until I received it, and I didn’t have to pay any tax until I got the money.’
Labour MP Meg Hillier, who chairs the Public accounts Committee, said: ‘If it’s not outside the actual rules it’s certainly... way outside the spirit of the rules. These people ought to look in the mirror and ask themselves whether it’s really fair what they’re doing.’ The bbC said: ‘The tax affairs of self-employed actors are a matter for those individuals.’ HMrC and the three actors could not be reached for further comment.