The fugitive fraudster who stole from you

Podcast: File on 4 Investigates · BBC Radio 4

Opublikowano: 2026-10-24

The Government’s anti-corruption champion Dame Margaret Hodge has accused one of the UK’s most prolific tax fraudsters of “abusing the justice system”. Arif Patel, originally from Preston but now on the run in Dubai, led a gang running an elaborate carousel fraud operation, stealing tens of millions of pounds. It worked by using using sham companies to move goods in and out of the country to generate false VAT refunds. In 2023, he was convicted in his absence of tax fraud, money-laundering, false accounting and selling counterfeit goods. Last year a judge ordered Patel to repay £90.5m he’d ga...