A high-flying businessman, who masterminded a sophisticated £9.8 million international VAT fraud to fund his lavish lifestyle of flash cars and a luxury Spanish home, has been jailed for nine years.
Jason Butler, 46, formerly of Leeds, created hundreds of false invoices to steal millions of pounds in VAT and tried to hide the scam in a complex trading chain involving companies in the UK, Gibraltar, Spain and the US.
Butler, who previously ran a number of companies in Yorkshire which were part of Jump Group Ltd, used money from the fraud to fund a vast portfolio of properties in Leeds, a luxury Spanish home, a collection of sports cars and a speedboat.
Eden Noblett, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC said: “Butler thought he was clever and his scam too sophisticated to be uncovered. But, he was not as clever as he believed.
“This was a complex fraud involving offshore companies and moving money internationally. This case should serve as a warning to anyone considering stealing taxpayer’s money. No matter how clever and sophisticated you think your fraud is, we will catch you.
“Tax fraud takes money away from the vital public services we all use. Butler stole enough money to pay for more than 500 new NHS nurses. We will not allow anyone to steal funding from our schools and hospitals.”

Nearly 200 Businesses Back Proposed West London Orbital Railway
Former Police Officer from West Yorkshire Convicted of Rape and Misconduct
Huddersfield Man Found Guilty of Historic Sexual Offences Against Teenage Girls
Bradford Couple Say Harassment Complaints Are Being Ignored
Accrington Drug Dealer Jailed After Crack Cocaine Found Hidden in Deodorant Can
Tour de France 2027 to Race Through Blackburn and Darwen
Vandals Rip Out Bollards at Popular Halifax Beauty Spot
Bradford Council Proposes £50m Savings to End Reliance on Government Financial Support
Hillingdon Residents Face 70% Parking Charge Increase from April 2027
Milton Keynes Council Cracks Down on Scams, Rogue Traders and Unsafe Businesses
Two Men Jailed for 28 Years Over Deaths of Leeds Mother and Daughter
Police Appeal to Two Women Following Indecent Exposure Report in Slaithwaite
The Golden Era
Bhangra Nights
Alim OnAir
Remix Saturdays