Two businessmen sentenced to jail in VAT cases

Two businessmen were sentenced to jail today in separate VAT fraud cases. Keith Stagno Navarro, who used to run one of the restaurants within the Marsa Sports Club, was jailed for 18 months and fined just under €26,000 for defrauding the VAT department of about €28,000. In a separate case, Alexander Scudamore, the director of Alex Limited that ran Bouzouki restaurant in St Julian's, was sentenced to seven months in prison for attempting to defraud the department of about €35,000.  Magistrate Doreen Clarke, who presided over both cases, heard how Mr Stagno Navarro had problems with the VAT Department and owed about €28,000. He phoned a friend at the department who gave him the contact number of a certain Alfred Mallia who could help. Mr Mallia met Mr Stagno Navarra and asked for some €10,000 in return for his help. Mr Stagno Navarra said he noticed that the returns had incorrect information but he did nothing to fix them. He was given the impression that Mr Mallia worked for the department. In a similar case, Alexander Scudamore, 45, was sentenced to seven months imprisonment after being found guilty of association in trying to defraud the VAT Department.  The court heard...