Rupert Grint faces £2 million tax bill after court loss
Rupert Grint, the star of "Harry Potter," has once again landed in serious trouble. He lost a court case and now has to pay nearly £2 million to the British tax authority. Certain irregularities were discovered in the 36-year-old actor's tax returns.
Fans of "Harry Potter" need no introduction to this actor. Rupert Grint played the role of Ron Weasley for years, gaining the affection of fans and earning a fortune (about £24 million for appearing in eight films). Nevertheless, the 36-year-old actor is facing financial troubles—he must return £1.8 million to the UK budget.
The investigation by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HM Revenue and Customs) began in 2019 but pertained to tax returns for the years 2011/2012. As reported by Entertainment Weekly, the actor improperly classified his income from the sale of, among other things, "Harry Potter" DVDs and television broadcasts of the film series about the popular wizard's adventures.
An enormous amount is at stake—£4.5 million, which was classified as capital gains rather than income. As a result, the actor paid only 10% instead of the standard rate of 52%.
Rupert Grint must return nearly £2 million
Five years ago, in connection with this case, Grint was obliged to pay £1.8 million. The actor's representatives filed an appeal at that time, but the London court ultimately ruled in favour of HMRC, which means that the silver-screen Ron Weasley will have to pay the overdue taxes. The decision was made at the end of November.
It's not the first time the "Harry Potter" star has had a dispute with the tax authorities. "The Guardian" reminds us that Grint already lost another court case in 2016, which also involved tax repayment. That case concerned an amount of £1 million.
