Boris Becker sentenced

Chief Executive of the Insolvency Service, Dean Beale, said:

The Court has handed down a prison sentence to Boris Becker today after he was convicted of offences relating to his bankruptcy.

Boris Becker’s sentence clearly demonstrates that concealing assets in bankruptcy is a serious offence for which we will prosecute and bring offenders to justice.

In passing sentence, Her Honour Judge Deborah Taylor commented that Boris Becker had an undue reliance on his advisors and the obligation was on him to disclose his assets to his trustees.

The Judge added that it was not Boris Becker’s choice of who to pay and a large sum had been lost in the bankruptcy estate, and it was notable that he had not shown remorse or humility.

Boris Becker received 2 years and 6 months on count 4 on the indictment. He received 18 months, to be served concurrently, on counts 10, 13 and 14 on the indictment.

Rebecca Chalkley and Sam Smart of Red Lion Chambers acted as counsel for the prosecution. Both were instructed by the Insolvency Service.

Notes to editors

The prosecution was brought by the Insolvency Service on behalf of the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

The charges Boris Becker was convicted on included:

Removing property totalling close to €427,000 from his bankruptcy estate (count 4)

Failed to disclose ownership of a property in Leiman in Germany (count 10)

Concealed a loan of €825,000 from the Bank of Alpinum of Lichtenstein (count 13)

Ownership of 75,000 shares in Breaking Data Corp (count 14)

Boris Becker remains bankrupt and his 12-year Bankruptcy Restrictions Undertaking remains the subject of public record on the Individual Insolvency Register.

Mark Ford, Finbarr O’Connell and Gilbert Lemon of Smith & Williamson LLP are joint trustees in bankruptcy of Boris Becker’s estate.

Bankruptcy restrictions are wide ranging, including informing a lender of your status if you want to borrow more than £500 and you cannot act as a director of a company without the court’s permission. Guidance on the main statutory consequences flowing from a bankruptcy restrictions order or undertaking.

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