June 23, 2025

Tackling Tax Fraud with Data and AI

22 minutes

In this episode, Jim Lee (Global Head of Capacity Building, Chainalysis) sits down with Richard Las (Chief Investigation Officer, Director Fraud Investigation Service, HM Revenue & Customs) to discuss cutting-edge developments in tax fraud investigations.

Richard shares his experience in managing a multi-faceted team and emphasizes the importance of international collaborations in combating financial crime, while sharing HMRC's approach to tax compliance, the impact of technological advancements in investigation and the role of public-private partnerships in reinforcing global financial security.

The episode highlights the use of intelligence-led investigations, showcasing how data and private sector partnerships augment HMRC's efforts and how strategic data analysis aids in the fight against tax evasion, particularly with regard to burgeoning areas like crypto assets.

Minute-by-minute episode breakdown

2 | Richard Las' background and his role at HMRC

4 | HMRC's fraud investigation service and capabilities

7 | Tax obligations for crypto holders in the UK

10 | Civil vs criminal tax offenses in undisclosed crypto gains

12 | International cooperation against tax evasion

15 | Public Private Partnerships and leveraging crypto service providers

Related resources

Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key.

Website: HMRC: UK’s tax, payments and customs authority

Report: HMRC Internal Manual: Cryptoassets Manual

Guidance: 01Jan2026: New data collection and reporting requirements for UK Cryptoasset Services

Forum: HMRC Community Forums - Crypto Tax (BETA)

Blog: Huione Carries On: Chinese-Language Platform’s Persistence Reveals the Complexity of On-chain Financial Crime Disruption

Announcement: Chainalysis and Aptos Foundation Partner to Increase Trust and Security

YouTube: Chainalysis YouTube page

Twitter: Chainalysis Twitter: Building trust in blockchain

Speakers on today’s episode

Jim Lee *host* (Global Head of Capacity Building, Chainalysis)

Richard Las (Chief Investigation Officer, Director Fraud Investigation Service, HM Revenue & Customs)

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