Auction for VAT fraud watches

Ronnie Decker, who is originally from Sierra Leone but educated in Scotland, was linked to a scheme where VAT on bogus transactions was claimed back through former Glasgow-based firm Q-Tech Distribution Limited.

The luxury watches recently sold fetched a total of £12,500, bringing the total value of cash and assets seized from Decker and his family so far to £2,070,403.40.

Assets previously seized from Decker include land, properties, bank accounts, jewellery and cash.  

The Civil Recovery Unit (CRU) who act on behalf of Scottish Ministers, worked alongside HMRC and authorities across the globe to examine bank accounts and other assets held in multiple countries including France, Antigua and Luxembourg.

The funds raised from the sale of the watches will be given to the Scottish Government’s CashBack for Communities fund in due course.

Since April 2018, over £2.5m has been remitted to the Scottish Consolidated Fund from the CRU’s asset recovery and cash forfeiture remittances.

Head of CRU, Denise McKay, said: “Ronnie Decker set out to systematically abuse the VAT repayments system and line his pockets with funds that otherwise would have been available to the public purse.

“This was a complex and lengthy investigation culminating in the recovery of substantial assets, testament to the strong partnership between us and the Proceeds of Crime Unit at HMRC.

“I am delighted that the watches from Mr Decker’s extensive global VAT fraud have now been sold with the money benefiting Scotland’s communities.”