HMRC pays a criminal for stolen bank information... with names of Peers on it

[Tony]

This one has been bubbling for a while now but last year HM Revenue & Customs bought a DVD of data stolen from a bank in Liechtenstein.

 

That list contains information on accounts held be non Liechtenstein residents using the principality to evade (or avoid if a court sees fit) tax in other countries including the UK.

 

If rumours are true then there are at least two members of the House of Lords on the list, and a number of other high profile individuals. To my mind there are two issues here.

 

1. Should HMRC be encouraging and supporting a criminal activity?

 

2. Can we ever have a system that allows insiders with the appropriate access to steal data for nefarious purposes. I am of course thinking of ID cards and biometric passports.

 

 

 

Today's Telegraph