Britain paid Liechtenstein informer for tax information: source

0 Comments | AFP, February, 2008

LONDON (AFP) — British officials paid a whistle-blower for a list of wealthy Britons allegedly evading tax through Liechtenstein, a source from the government's tax collection agency told AFP on Monday.

According to the source within Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the government department charged with collecting taxes, "payments have been made ... (but) the figures that are out there (in the press) haven't come from us."

The source was referring to a report in Monday's Financial Times which said that Britain had paid 100,000 pounds (133,000 euros, 196,000 dollars) for information.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the department, who declined to confirm that payments had been made, noted that HMRC would pay rewards "where sufficient information is...