Four arrested at KPMG in Belfast

Four senior executives at KPMG’s Northern Ireland operation were arrested in Belfast this week, on tax evasion charges.

Officials from HMRC visited the four partners in the city on Wednesday, the Guardian reported on Thursday afternoon.

The newspaper named the men as Jon D’Arcy, Eamonn Donaghy, Arthur O’Brien and Paul Hollway.

It’s understood the men are also directors of property investment vehicle JEAP.

KPMG said it was cooperating with the investigation, and that the four men were placed on “administrative leave”.

“Pending further investigation and enquiry, we can confirm that four partners in our Belfast office are on administrative leave”, the company said in a statement.

“As the matter is ongoing, KPMG is not in a position to make any further comments at this stage.”

HMRC confirmed the arrest of four individuals in Belfast, but said it could not comment further.

KPMG had been spearheading a campaign to persuade the UK Treasury to grant Northern Ireland special corporation tax status, and Eamonn Donaghy was involved in calls to devolve tax powers to Stormont.