Former Rangers stars, and Scotland boss Alex McLeish, have been sent a chilling warning about the tax owed on their so-called EBT payments.
While the Murray Group claimed that they set up discretionary trusts to entice players to Ibrox last summer the Supreme Court ruled that they were a form of disguised remuneration- liable to income tax, National Insurance, penalties and interest.
McLeish and others have warned against anyone wanting to strip the cheated titles and medals but they have no reply to the demands of HMRC.
Dave Murray provided side letters indemnifying the players and coaches from tax demands but with the football club in liquidation those letters are worthless although they did help HMRC prove their case at the Supreme Court.
Billy Dodds, Alex Rae, Barry Ferguson, Neil McCann and Kris Boyd are among those that lapped up the secondary contracts but now Her Majesty wants her money and a good chunk more.
BBC Scotland has seen a letter sent earlier this month by Trident Trust, a Jersey-based company, which paints a stark picture.
The letter says: “HMRC has confirmed that it will seek to recover all income tax found by the Supreme Court to be due and that, where HMRC is unable to recover the tax from the employer, it may transfer the liability for unpaid tax…to employees or former employees.”
For over a decade Rangers (IL) were able to compete with Celtic for players while denying Her Majesty her tax cut.
Every club in Scotland suffered as the Ibrox club recruited players they couldn’t afford with Andrew Dickson ensuring that their full contracts were never disclosed to the SFA and SPL.
While Hearts, East Stirling, Dundee United and Spartans have had points deducted for fielding ineligible players the old Rangers (IL) club were fined £250,000 for over a decade of fielding ineligible players.
McLeish picked up £1.7m in secret payments and can now expect a bill from Her Majesty for a similar sum.
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