I OWE TAXMAN £500K. I OWE THEM NOTHING Decker gets to keep his £3m fortune until judges rule on a new appeal
Fraud suspect Ronnie Decker has been allowed to keep his £3million fortune pending a new appeal – despite a court ruling stripping him of all his crime cash.
In a dramatic legal move, Decker was given permission last week to appeal the order seizing all his assets including properties, jewellery, bank accounts, investments and cash.
The Crown Office had obtained the original seizure order on April 22 after Decker’s team failed to lodge the correct papers in time, opposing the move to grab hiss fortune.
Jubilant officials put out a statement that day from Linda Hamilton, head of the Crown’s Civil Recovery Unit, hailing the victory.
But Decker appointed a new legal team who applied to have the case recalled to lodge the correct documents.
On Tuesday, a judge at the Court of Session decided to allow the appeal and put the £ 3million assets seizure order onn hold.
It is expected that the appeal will be heard later this year at the same court in front of three judges.
In 2001, Decker was accused of masterminding a £ 48million VAT fraud using Glasgow firm Q-Tech Distribution Ltd.
The firm allegedly claimed bogus VAT repayments on a complex series of fake transactions across Europe in a so-called carousel fraud.
Q-Tech and owner Mohammed Sattar were pursued under proceeds of crime legislation and both agreed to a £1.2million out-of-court settlement.
However, charges against Sierra Leone-born Decker were dropped.
Authorities pursued him through the civil courts to try to claw back millions and in 2011, prosecutors managed to freeze his assets.
A third man, Michael Voudouri, from Bridge of Allan, Stirlingshire, also admitted claiming back VAT through Q-Tech. He is serving an 11-year jail term for money laundering and failing to appear for sentencing.
Decker claimed he had offered to pay back £500,000 in tax to HMRC.
He said: “What the Crown Office didn’t tell people in April was that the confiscation order was only temporary because the correct papers
were not presented in court. “I owe HMRC money – I have never denied that. “I was not given the chance to pay HMRC because my assets were frozen during the criminal investigation. The Crown Office have also put a value on my assets which is way over the top.”
Decker also claims the Crown Office are pursuing him for political reasons.
He added: “They want the money to go to Scotland rather than HMRC in London. I have already spent £ 4million in legal fees.
“All I want to do is clear my name and pay my debts. The Crown have spent in excess of £10million chasing me. They should have allowed me to pay my taxes.”
The 44-year-old runs Dubai-based 8 Investments Group who offer advice on risk management, hedge funds and stocks and shares.
His two teenage children still live at the £ 750,000 fami ly home in Balmore, near Glasgow, with their mum. The house is one of a number of assets which have been frozen by the Crown Office, pending the proceeds of crime action.
Earlier this year we revealed Decker had formed a new firm with Sattar, based at a Glasgow kebab shop.
But Sattar said he planned to close the company down and is no longer in touch with Decker.
A Crown Of f ice spokesman said: “We cannot comment on live proceedings.”