#13 The billion pound a year tax scam
#12 The Francovich Claim
Guests

Richard Allen comes across a massive tax fraud that makes the Channel Islands loophole look like a tea party. He teams up with two more retailers whose businesses are being destroyed by it and they start to apply pressure to the tax authorities, HMRC, who seem reluctant to take on big online market players Amazon and eBay.

Music (in order of use) is courtesy of Cherry Red Records: Steal No Egg by Electric Orange and Movement by Praise Space Electric.

This is a Tax Justice Network podcast with Naomi Fowler of the Taxcast podcast. Produced by Naomi Fowler and Leo Schick and sound designed by Leo Schick.

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Mar 20
2026
The Corruption Diaries
#12 The Francovich Claim
A lawyer from a swanky law firm helps Richard (pro bono) to sue HMRC, the UK tax authority for damages due to their slowness to act against the Channel Islands tax loophole and shut it down, resulting in the loss of his business. Then Brexit happens.
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Mar 13
2026
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#11 In the High Court
Richard Allen's fight goes all the way to the High Court and he's armed with two top barristers Valentina Sloane and Christopher Vajda, up against the Channel Islands and the UK's historic, unspoken hands-off approach to their tax abuse schemes.
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Mar 6
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#10 RAVAS: Retailers Against VAT Abuse Schemes
Richard has a breakthrough in his campaign against the Channel Islands tax loophole, saving the UK  hundreds of millions of pounds a year in dodged taxes. But then his story takes a new twist...
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Feb 27
2026
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#9 The European Commission
Richard realises he can't keep his business going any more, he gets 'lawyered up' and discovers that the European Commission is up for fighting against the UK.
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Feb 20
2026
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#8 The fight to stop LVCR
Richard goes into battle against the Channel Islands tax loophole, the businesses taking advantage of it and the failure of the UK's tax authority to take action.
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