Brandon Stadium co-owner told: pay back £2m VAT fraud cash

Jatinder Singh Batth (s)

A PROFESSIONAL gambler said to own half of Brandon Stadium has been ordered to handover the £2million he made in a money laundering scam.

Jatinder Singh Batth, also known as Micky Singh, was jailed for 18 months in March 2009 after a customs' investigation found he staked substantial sums of ‘dirty’ money at casinos in Birmingham and London and at top horse racing meetings.

They money was from organised crime gangs, including money from a £1.8m missing trader VAT fraud.

And after a hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act he has been told if he does not pay back his share of the fraud within six months he will return to jail for ten years.

Assets belonging to Batth currently restrained and frozen by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) include a 50 per cent share of the Coventry Stadium in Brandon, worth around £500,000, a flat in St John’s Wood, London, worth over £1million, a house in north London, worth over £120,000, and various bank accounts.

Richard Meadows, assistant director of criminal investigation, said: "Batth’s activities ensured he was able to fund a luxurious lifestyle and further increase his wealth using funds derived from criminality.

"We will not stop in our pursuit to bring those involved in this type of criminal activity before the courts and reclaim their criminal profits for public funds."

Batth, from Birmingham, was one of eight men jailed for a total of 34 years after HMRC investigators uncovered the sophisticated money laundering plot.

During their trials Birmingham Crown Court was revealed they acted as couriers to launder hundreds of thousands of pounds by exploiting the gambling industry.

The money would be placed on deposit at casinos and withdrawn a day or so later while other sums would be gambled.

Forensic testing of some of the bank notes seized showed they were highly contaminated with heroin and cannabis.

Regional news »