The publication of this annual list is an insight into the work of HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service. Clearly this is important work and recovers money that may be used to support important public services and consequently, it is not a victimless crime.

It further demonstrates the diversity of crimes HMRC deals with. HMRC’s fraud investigations have led to 671 people being convicted over the last 12 months for their part in tax crimes. Additionally, HMRC has charged another 919 people and taken on 746 new criminal investigations.

This year’s top 10 prosecutions include:

• one of the UK’s most wanted tax fugitives, who spent more than 11 years on the run and owes more than £53 million, ending up behind bars after he was caught in Canada
• a tax consultant, who fled the UK before he could be arrested for masterminding a conspiracy to steal £6.9 million from construction workers’ pay packets, going to prison
• a high-flying businessman who masterminded a sophisticated £9.8 million international VAT fraud to fund his lavish lifestyle and for which he was jailed for 9 years

HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service brings in around £5 billion a year through civil and criminal investigations.