Night Club Owner Avoids Custodial Sentence

Alleged Tax Evasion

Keith Arno Mitchell of Libertas Chambers, was instructed by Tasnime Akunjee of Waterfords, to defend owner of Tantric Blue, Mantra Night Club, Fuzzy Bears Comedy Club (Operation Aspen).

This was an investigation by HMRC resulting from the takeover of and running of formerly Spearmint Rhino / Stringfellow ‘gentleman’s clubs’, in Windsor and Heathrow between 2012 to 2016, regarding alleged widespread tax evasion over a number of years involving allegations of up to £5 millions of Income and VAT evaded (with reference inter alia to tips paid to pole dancers).

It was listed originally for trial but after a successful Newton hearing on behalf of the defendant, it resulted in a sentence at the Central Criminal Court of a 2 year suspended on 26^th May 2022 with no confiscation.