The Telegraph reported that Liverpool legend John Barnes was filed for bankruptcy by the British General Taxation and Customs Administration (HMRC). The legendary star, who played 79 times for the Three Lions, was filed with a petition by HMRC to the High Court last Friday, which was only two months after its media company revealed that it had debts of more than £1.5 million and that he was banned from serving as a director.
The latest liquidation report shows that John Barnes Media Co., Ltd. owes HMRC value-added tax, national insurance and income tax totaling £776,878, unsecured creditors £461,849, director loans £226,000, and liquidation costs £56,535. The report said Barnes has repaid the £60,000 director loan in installments, and HMRC may receive a small amount of repayment, but unsecured creditors will find it difficult to obtain pennies.
This is the latest chapter that Barnes faced the threat of bankruptcy many times since 2010. In 2023, he had just avoided bankruptcy by paying more than 200,000 pounds of personal income tax. In the same year, he was deprived of his director qualification for 190,000 pounds of tax evasion between 2018 and 2020 for three and a half years. The Bankruptcy Authority investigation showed that although the company earned more than £400,000 during the period, it did not pay penny taxes. Mike Smith, chief investigator of the Bankruptcy Administration, stressed: "Business tax evasion deprives the government of funds for public services such as education and medical care. In this case, all directors should be warned that misappropriation of taxes will face a qualifying injunction." John Barnes Media Co., Ltd., established in 2012, claims to provide media agency services. The investigation found that although the company submitted its tax returns on schedule, it did not pay £78,839 in corporate taxes from August 2018 to the closure period, and owed £115,272 in VAT from 2019 to 2020.
During the company liquidation in September 2023, Barnes faced a £238,000 bankruptcy filing. Its attorney Nathan Webber argued to the court at the time that the Liverpool club employee, who had an annual salary of £200,000, was "fully repaid". The debt was settled two months later and the application was withdrawn.
As early as 2009, Barnes almost went bankrupt due to "tax negligence". He told the Telegraph at the time: "I hate handling bills and I don't even want to open the envelope. When a credit card is rejected abroad, it makes me feel more accomplished by patching up the repayment."
Barnes, who has transformed into an anti-racist critic in recent years, was appointed as the club ambassador by Liverpool in 2022. The Telegraph has contacted it for comment on the latest incident.