Sigur Rós Say They Face "Financial Ruin" If Tax Case Continues
"They’re treating us like criminals..."
*Sigur Rós* could face "financial ruin" following a second tax evasion.
It was revealed last year that the Icelandic group had been accused of evading 151 million Icelandic krona (approx £840,000) in tax, covering the period between 2011 and 2014.
At the time, Sigur Rós blamed their financial advisors, and pleaded guilty during an initial court case.
Issuing a full apology, the band paid back the disputed amount, alongside fines, and with interest on top.
Now the *Guardian reports* that Sigur Rós face a second trial in a different Icelandic court, and could end up paying some 200% of the total tax evaded.
In a statement, bassist Georg 'Goggi' Holm says: "We are not denying that we did something wrong. We went out of our way to fix it, find out what happened and pay the money back. But now we are being taken to court for the same thing again. We are not above any law in Iceland, but the law is not correct. And we are speaking out because we have a platform to speak out."
Vocalist Jónsi - who just released super solo album 'Shiver' - commented: "We have spent years promoting the country; now they’re treating us like criminals."
*NME have posted* a full statement from Sigur Rós, which breaks down the case in full. It says:
"However, in the intervening years we have become victims of an unjust and draconian prosecution by the Icelandic government who are unfairly seeking to portray us as deliberate tax evaders, something we have always and continue to strongly deny. We have been charged and tried twice for the same offence, our assets have been frozen for years now, we are facing potential financial ruin and as such we are calling on the Icelandic government to revoke these outdated double jeopardy tax laws, which have affected numerous Icelandic businesses."
Icelandic representatives have declined to comment on the case.
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