BBC Star Gabby Logan and her husband paid more than £500k ‘to promote tax avoidance scheme’ to celeb pals
BBC star Gabby Logan and her husband were paid more than £500,000 to promote a major tax avoidance scheme to their celeb pals.
The couple received the whopping sum to attend star-studded events and introduce ‘”wealthy individuals” to the venture, which HMRC said could have cost the British public purse £120 million.
GettyGabby and Kenny Logan were paid over £500,000 to introduce other celebs to a tax avoidance scheme[/caption]
Court filings show that the couple were paid a commission for connecting famous pals with the Icebreaker schemeRex
Gabby, 49, and ex-rugby player husband Kenny, 50, reportedly invested in and promoted the Icebreaker scheme, which offered tax relief in return for support of the British creative industry.
The Beeb pundit has maintained that she invested in “good faith”.
Questions have now arisen over the Logans’ involvement after a court battle revealed that companies linked to them received £518,405 in commission for introducing “customers or potential customers” to the scheme.
The money came from Welbeck Solutions, the firm that sold Icebreaker but went bust in 2017.
Since the company collapsed, its unpaid debts are being pursued through the courts, including those to companies linked to the Logans.
Gwilym Jones, co-founder of Henderson & Jones which has taken on the claim, told MailOnline: “Companies controlled by Kenny Logan and Gabby Logan worked with Welbeck to sell tax avoidance schemes and tried to disguise their income from this as ‘loans’ to avoid paying (yet more) tax.
“We consider the companies’ accounts are clear – these payments were treated as loans, which now have to be repaid.”
However, lawyers representing the companies linked to the Logans have insisted that these were not loans but “commission” payments and so do not have to be repaid.
High Court documents filed on behalf of the companies say that their purpose was to “introduce wealthy individuals to [Welbeck] in order that they might buy financial services offered by those businesses.”
They add: “In consequence of those introductions and the business that resulted from them commission became payable.”
Other famous faces who have used Icebreaker reportedly include Take That’s Gary Barlow and former Olympian Colin Jackson.
Court filings also show that two of the companies shared an accountant with Welbeck at the time the scheme was being used by celebs.
In a statement published on her website in 2014, Gabby said: “I was advised about a business opportunity six years ago and I invested in good faith.
“It was explained to me as a way of funding new acts in the music industry. Because of information which came to light in 2012, I decided the investment was not right for me.”
She added that she fully intended to “pay any tax which should have been paid” and insisted that she had been “completely open and honest” with tax authorities.
The trial is due to begin on May 3 and the star could could be called as witnesses.
There is no suggestion of any illegal activity on the part of the Logans, Welbeck or any of the celebrities connected with them.
The Logans have been contacted for comment.
BBC star Gabby said that she ceased her involvement when new information ‘came to light’ about the company selling the schemePA
Gary Barlow is among the famous faces who have reportedly used the schemeGetty
So is former Olympian Colin JacksonRex
