Former BHS-owner Dominic Chappell arrested amid tax probe

London - The former owner of collapsed high street retailer British Home Stores (BHS), Dominic Chappell, has been arrested by HM Revenue & Customs following an investigation into unpaid taxes.

Chappell was arrested earlier this month for failing to pay over 500,000 pounds in tax on profits made from BHS, reported the Sunday Times. The arrest comes after the HMRC opened a case against Chappell, which saw the tax authority file a petition at the High Court to hold Chappell's personal company Swiss Rock Limited accountable.

Swiss Rock Limited currently owes more than 500,000 pounds in taxes, including 365,000 pounds in VAT and 196,306 pounds in corporation tax. The investigation found that Swiss Rock was paid 1.6 million pounds by BHS as part of Chappell's acquisition of the high street chain.

HMRC officers are understood to have arrested Chappell on November 2 at his home in Dorset, but the serial-bankrupt businessman has been released since then. HMRC declined to comment or confirm Chappell's arrest, stating: "We do not comment on identifiable cases, but can confirm we have arrested a 49-year-old businessman."

Photo: Taken by Philafrenzy (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons