Italian restaurant boss banned after failing to pay correct taxes

A restaurateur with an Italian eatery in Chingford, east London, has been banned for seven years after submitting inaccurate tax returns.

Mamma Mia Cucina was incorporated in April 2012 and traded under the same name. Alessio Polito, 39, from Chingford, was appointed one of two directors at the time, and by December 2013 was the sole remaining director.

Seven years later, in January 2019, Mamma Mia Cucina entered Creditors Voluntary Liquidation and the company was brought to the attention of the Insolvency Service as there were discrepancies in Mamma Mia Cucina’s tax returns.

Further enquiries by investigators found that between April 2013 and April 2018, Polito under-declared Mamma Mia Cucina’s sales and failed to submit accurate tax returns to the value of just over £50,000 VAT.

On 21 February 2020, the Secretary of State accepted a disqualification undertaking from Polito for seven years. Effective from 13 March 2020, he is banned from acting as a director or directly or indirectly becoming involved, without the permission of the court, in the promotion, formation or management of a company.

Lawrence Zussman, deputy head of insolvent investigations for the Insolvency Service, said: “Alessio Polito clearly failed to take his responsibilities as a director seriously when he under-declared the restaurant’s level of sales.

“Directors have a duty to pay the correct level of taxes and thanks to his substantial ban, Alessio Polito has been removed from the business environment for a considerable amount of time.”

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