HM Revenue & Customs has questioned the legitimacy of Ingenious Film Partners 2 LLP, which qualified for tax breaks under rules aimed at stimulating the British film industry, the Sunday Times reported.
Other names linked to the scheme include Gary Lineker, Bob Geldof, and Anne Robinson.
All involved have been asked to pay back any tax relief they received from the scheme, which demanded a minimum investment of £100,000, ahead of a tax tribunal scheduled for November.
The scheme was launched under the previous government and helped to fund films such as Life of Pi, Avatar and Girl with a Pearl Earring.
But HMRC argues these were not legitimate investments but were instead used to avoid tax.
Ingenious Media’s John Boyton sent a letter to clients saying HMRC had ‘draconian’ plans to force them to pay before the case goes to court.
HMRC’s actions form part of its measures to deal with a current backlog of 65,000 individuals and businesses suspected of tax avoidance.
As reported, these were last week criticised by the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT).
The proposals link together similar cases, meaning a court ruling against one taxpayer will then apply to any “follower cases”.
CIOT president Stephen Coleclough said he accepted this as a temporary solution to courts “jamming up” but added that care should be taken before any wider use.
“Handing HMRC almost unprecedented executive powers to decide who falls within the mischief they intend to deal with, without the usual safeguards and appeal rights, is not something which should be done lightly,” he said.
“These emergency measures should not be a permanent state of affairs.”
