Ex-F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, 91, to face trial for ‘failing to declare £400MILLION in overseas assets’
FORMER Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone is facing trial accused of failing to declare £400 million of overseas assets.
The billionaire, 91, was charged following a "complex and worldwide" probe by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) into his finances.
He appeared at Southwark Crown Court today charged with fraud by false representation between 13 July 2013 and 5 October 2016.
The business magnate allegedly failed to declare a trust in Singapore containing around $650million.
Silver-haired Ecclestone, who turns 92 later this month, was allowed to sit behind his lawyers rather than in the dock because of his hearing difficulties.
He was not asked to formally enter a plea but previously indicated he would plead not guilty.
Read more news
A provisional trial date was set for October 9 next year that is expected to last six weeks.
The court was told they may sit half days because of the "defendant's fitness to participate".
Ecclestone was earlier pictured arriving at the court in a white Range Rover with a personalised number plate.
His wife, Fabiana Flosi, watched the proceedings from the public gallery.
Most read in The Sun
Ecclestone is accused of disclosing "only a single trust" - one in favour of his daughters - to tax authorities.
He also said he was not the beneficiary of any other trust in or outside the UK, it is said.
By doing so, he allegedly acted "with the intention of making a gain for yourself".
The tycoon, who has three grown-up daughters - Deborah, 67, Tamara, 38, and Petra, 33 - and a young son, Ace, was F1 chief for four decades from the 1970s.
He was removed from the position in January 2017.
