Seven men have been sentenced to over 40 years in jail for their part in stealing £38 million from HM Revenue & Customs in a ‘missing trader’ tax fraud. A further two men will be sentenced in the next few weeks.

The fraud centred on the import and sale of mobile phones and computer parts through a chain of companies, including Sky Computers UK Ltd of Middlesex and Maxro Technology Ltd of Surrey.

Five men have been jailed this week for a total of 15 years after a £17 million ‘missing trader’ VAT fraud. A sixth is awaiting sentencing. HM Revenue & Customs conducted a four-and-a-half year investigation that involved mobile phone accessories, SIM cards and digital memory.

Everything Everywhere is potentially £4 million out of pocket after losing a lengthy legal battle in the European Court of Justice today.

The case, which was originally brought by T-Mobile, involves the additional £3 charge made when customers don’t pay their bills directly from their bank account.

A convicted VAT fraudster has been sentenced to an extra nine years in jail for failing to repay £40 million of his criminal profits. Emmanuel Hening, a dual French/Belgian national, was jailed for 15 years in 2006 for masterminding a £54 million ‘missing trader’ or ‘carousel’ mobile phone fraud.

India's Supreme Court has set 25th October as the next hearing for Vodafone's tax appeal. Vodafone could owe the Indian government more than 120 billion rupees (around £1.7 billion) following a court ruling earlier this month, although the company insists nothing is due. The case centres on Vodafone's 2007 purchase of Hutchison's Indian business, which saw Netherlands-based Vodafone International acquiring a stake in Hong Kong-based Hutchison; the stake was owned by a company in the Cayman Islands. Mumbai's High Court says Capital Gains Tax is payable and should have been collected by Vodafone.