Inaccurate tax returns lands takeaway boss with ban
Zhipeng Cao (49), from Leigh-On-Sea, Essex, was appointed as the sole registered director at the same time Good Food Station Gate Limited was incorporated in January 2014.
The company traded as Good Food – a Chinese takeaway on Station Gate in Laindon, Basildon – but began to experience difficulties and in April 2019, entered into insolvency proceedings.
This brought the company to the attention of the Insolvency Service, who investigated the conduct of Zhipeng Cao and how his actions contributed to the collapse of the company.
Investigators uncovered that between January 2014 and April 2018, Zhipeng Cao caused Good Food Station Gate to submit inaccurate tax returns. The company failed to declare a true reflection of sales and under-declared corporation tax.
On 6 March 2020, the Secretary of State accepted a disqualification undertaking from Zhipeng Cao after he did not dispute that he failed to ensure Good Food Station Gate Limited submitted accurate tax returns, resulting in under declared tax liabilities totalling just over £650,000.
Effective from 27 March 2020, Zhipeng Cao is banned for 6 years from acting as a director or directly or indirectly becoming involved, without the permission of the court, in the promotion, formation or management of a company.
Lawrence Zussman, Deputy Head of Insolvent Investigations for the Insolvency Service, said:
As the registered director, Zhipeng Cao had total responsibility for ensuring Good Food Station Gate paid the right tax but he failed to do so throughout the life of the company.
Zhipeng Cao failed to take his responsibilities as a director seriously and his six-year ban will remove him from the business environment, helping protect his creditors from further losses.
Zhipeng Cao is from Leigh-On-Sea, Essex and his date of birth is December 1970.
Good Food Station Gate Limited (Company Reg no. 08838443).
Disqualification undertakings are the administrative equivalent of a disqualification order but do not involve court proceedings. Persons subject to a disqualification order are bound by a range of other restrictions.
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