Fintech

Three NFTs seized in £1.4m fraud investigation

Landmark probe sees first UK authority confiscate tokens in relation to criminal investigation

HMRC pledges to crack down on criminals using digital assets to hide money from the taxman
HMRC pledges to crack down on criminals using digital assets to hide money from the taxman Photo: Mike Kemp/Getty Images

The UK’s tax authority seized three non-fungible tokens during a probe into suspected VAT fraud that involved 250 allegedly fake companies.

Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs secured a court order to detain seized cryptoassets worth around £5,000 and three digital artwork NFTs, as yet not valued, while its investigation continues, the authority said in a 14 February statement.

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