BERNIE Ecclestone has been charged with fraud.
The tycoon, 91, is accused of failing to declare overseas assets worth more than £400million to the taxman.
Bernie Ecclestone has been charged with fraud
The tycoon, pictured with daughter Petra, will appear before magistrates in August
Chief crown prosecutor Andrew Penhale said this afternoon that the CPS authorised the charge “in respect of his failure to declare to HMRC the existence of assets held overseas”.
“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against this defendant are now active and that they have a right to a fair trial,” he said.
“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
Simon York, director of HMRC’s fraud investigation service, said: “We can confirm that a fraud by false representation charge has been authorised against Bernard Ecclestone.
“This follows a complex and worldwide criminal investigation by HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service.
“The criminal charge relates to projected tax liabilities arising from more than £400m of offshore assets which were concealed from HMRC.
“HMRC is on the side of honest taxpayers and we will take tough action wherever we suspect tax fraud.
“Our message is clear – no one is beyond our reach.
“We remind people to refrain from commentary or sharing of information that could prejudice proceedings in any way.
“This is now a matter for the courts and we will not be commenting further.”
Ecclestone will appear before magistrates in Westminster, London at 10am on August 22.
The ex-F1 supremo has hit the headlines in recent days after claiming he’d “take a bullet” for Putin.
In a car-crash interview, the billionaire also ridiculed hero Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a “comedian”.
He launched into a bizarre rant on Good Morning Britain that showered the tyrant Putin in grim applause for his evil invasion of Ukraine.
But speaking to Sky Sports News on Saturday, the petrolhead issued a grovelling apology and clarified his views on the war as he claimed it was “bothering” him how his comments had been perceived.
Ecclestone is one of the UK’s richest men.
SEday Times Rich List ranks him as the 65th wealthiest person in the country, with an estimated net worth of £2.5billion.
He’s been married three times, and has four children – the youngest of whom was born in 2020.
Bernie has hit headlines recently after saying he’d ‘take a bullet’ for tyrant Putin
