Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares restaurant boss sentenced for tax fraud

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The Curry Lounge, Upper Parliament Street. (Photo: Google)

The former owner of a Nottingham restaurant that featured on the Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares TV programme has been sentenced for tax fraud.

Arfan Razak, 49, ran the Curry Lounge on Upper Parliament Street, Nottingham, and was found to have lied on his VAT returns in a £64,741.54 tax fraud after an investigation by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Razak, of Melton Road, West Bridgford, owned the restaurant between 2006 and 2015 and appeared on the Channel 4 series with the high-profile chef Gordon Ramsay in 2007.

HMRC investigators began examining the business in 2014 after receiving a series of unusual tax returns.

The Curry Lounge’s tax returns were compared with bank statements and card payment information, which showed sales were being suppressed on the VAT returns.

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Gordon Ramay fronted the Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmare’s programme on Channel 4.

HMRC officials visited Razak and he attempted to cover-up his crimes by providing fake bank statements to try and back-up his claims.

His lies were exposed when financial information was obtained directly from the banks.

Stuart Taylor, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: “Razak first tried reality TV to keep his restaurant going then crime and both failed. Now he is paying the price for thinking he could cheat the honest majority who do the right thing.”

In the 2011 Kitchen Nightmares episode, Ramsay changed the restaurant’s menu and mocked its large naan bread stands.

Razak admitted evading £44,741.54 in VAT and falsely claiming £20,000 in tax repayments at Derby Crown Court on June 6.

He was sentenced to 18 months in prison suspended for two years at the same court today (3 August).

Razak has now paid the outstanding £44,741.54 VAT to HMRC and has agreed repayments for the remaining £20,000.

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