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Tycoon agrees e13.5m settlement with taxman

A RETIRED Co Fermanagh businessman has agreed a € 13.5 million settlement with the taxman in the Republic - one of the largest ever made. Anthony Cafferkey whose address was listed as Lisnarick Road, Irvines-town, has been named and shamed on the latest defaulters' list over his tax affairs. Listed as a retired company director, Mr Cafferkey was investigated by the Revenue Commissioners in the Republic over the use of a bogus non-resident account and offshore assets. He had been director of construction engineering firm Cafferkey Civils in Maynooth, Co Kildare. He was also forced to make part of the settlement for underdeclaration of income tax. Mr Cafferkey's tax bill was € 6.1m (£4.8m), interest of € 3.25m (£2.6m) and penalties running to € 4.2m (£3.4m). His name is one of 117 listed in the Irish State gazette Iris Oifigiuil for settlements totalling € 31.85m (£25.5m) with the Revenue for the three months to the end of June. Mr Cafferkey's settlement is believed to be the single biggest published arrangement with tax inspectors since 2006. The Revenue's investigation into his affairs centred on bogus non- resident accounts - a tax evading scam where people set up accounts with false addresses from overseas in order to avoid paying tax on the interest on the deposits. Mr Cafferkey was also investigated for tax liabilities over offshore assets. In 2012 Mr Cafferkey - whose address was then given as Rockingham Park, Maynooth Road, Leixlip, Co Kildare was the subject of the largest ever judgment from the Revenue Commissioners of € 21.6m debt owed to the tax authorities - a record high. Mr Cafferkey founded Cafferkey Civils in 1973. The business carries out large civil engineering contracts in the commercial, industrial, health-care, retail and residential sectors. Also on the latest Iris Oifigiuil list was Robert Mizzell, originally from Louisiana in the US but living in Kill-inlahan, Ballynagore, Co Westmeath, who made a settlement worth € 60,000 (£48,000). Although he was only described as an entertainer by the Revenue, Mr Mizzell has been voted Ireland's favourite country music singer. The singer, who also tours as part of the Three Amigos, has nine solo studio albums and a full length DVD to his name. He was investigated for underdeclaration of income tax.