Following on from the recent news of comedian Jimmy Carr's completely legal but ethically dubious tax dodging scheme, more UK celebrities are having their dirty laundry aired in public. This time three members of Take That have been outed by The Times as participating in a scheme designed to avoid tax payments.
Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald, as well as the band's manager Jonathan Wild, are said to be among the 1,000 wealthy UK residents who have invested somewhere in the region of £480 million in a 'tax shelter' scheme. Robbie Williams and Jason Orange look like they're the sensible ones in the band, as neither been implicated.
Icebreaker Management Services, the firm who oversee the practice, is being investigated by the UK government who are actively seeking to have the scheme closed down. Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs have set up a hearing to evaluate matters and this could lead to those involved having to pay millions in back taxes.
Bono has also come under heavy criticism for moving U2 accounts out of Ireland, therefore avoiding tax payments in his native country.
What are your thoughts? Should these people pay tax in their own country like the rest of us, or would you do the same if you were in their position? Sound off in the comments section below.
