Derby Couple Slammed in £30 Million NHS Tax Scam
Raja Usman and his wife Khair Un Nisa, directors of Derby-based Umbrella Care Ltd, have been booted from company directorships for masterminding a massive £30 million tax dodging scheme. Their firm, which supplied workers to the NHS care sector, deliberately underpaid taxes to HMRC between 2017 and 2020.
£33 Million in Tax Under-Declared
An investigation uncovered that under Usman and Nisa’s watch, Umbrella Care Ltd fudged VAT, PAYE, and National Insurance returns. The pair under-declared a staggering £33 million, including over £12 million in VAT and more than £21 million in payroll taxes.
Harsh Penalties and Big Cash Recoveries
Raja Usman, aka Usman Raja, was slapped with a 14-and-a-half-year disqualification order by the High Court in London, effective from 30 July 2024. The 38-year-old must also cough up £5,399 in court costs. Meanwhile, 41-year-old Khair Un Nisa vowed to step away from company directorships with an 11-year undertaking signed last September.
Lawrence Zussman, Deputy Head of Company Investigations at the Insolvency Service, said:
“Raja Usman and Khair Un Nisa deliberately under-declared the amount of tax Umbrella Care was expected to pay by tens of millions of pounds. This was money that should have been used to provide vital public services and investment in areas such as schools, hospitals, and roads.”
Over £12 Million Recovered After Firm Collapsed
Umbrella Care Ltd was forced to close down in November 2020 following a liquidation petition from HMRC. Liquidators from Azets Holdings have clawed back more than £12 million from the pair’s assets since then.
- £5.2 million recovered from various bank accounts
- £7.3 million raised from the sale of 14 properties
- Further £1.5 million expected from overseas and third-party transfers
Azets joint liquidator Louise Brittain added:
“Azets have conducted extensive investigations and litigation in this case to recover wrongfully removed company funds, leading to a considerable return to creditors. We’re pleased these actions enabled the Insolvency Service to secure the disqualifications. This case shows the power of public and private sector collaboration.”
Usman and Nisa are banned from managing or promoting any company without court permission until 2034 and 2039 respectively.
Crackdown on Financial Crime Continues
This case underscores the relentless efforts by the Insolvency Service and HMRC to hold fraudsters to account and recover stolen public funds.
