An accounts manager has admitted he lied to investigators about a restaurant chain's failure to enrol staff into workplace pensions.
Bradford-based Mansoor Nasir yesterday (January 9) pleaded guilty to nine charges of knowingly or recklessly providing The Pensions Regulator (TPR) with information which was false or misleading at Brighton Magistrates’ Court.
Nasir had submitted false declarations of workplace pension compliance to TPR to claim nine restaurants were giving their employees the correct benefits.
But TPR said when it investigated the case it became clear Nasir had failed to automatically enrol 103 staff into workplace pensions at the restaurants that he was the payroll adviser for.
He had then tried to cover this up using the false declarations.
The offences involved workers at the Akbar chain of restaurants in Birmingham, Manchester, Yorkshire and the North East between September 2014 and May 2017.
Joe Turner, TPR’s head of compliance and enforcement, said: "Part of Nasir’s job was to put the restaurant staff into workplace pensions. He failed to do so and then tried to cover it up by lying to us.
"Giving us false or misleading information is a serious offence that can earn you a fine, a prison sentence and a criminal record.
"All employers have workplace pension duties. Don’t take a risk that could affect you for the rest of your life."
Nasir, who is based at Beaumont Management Services in Bradford, will be sentenced at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on February 6.
Knowingly or recklessly providing false information to TPR is an offence under section 80 of the Pensions Act 2004.
It carries a maximum sentence in a magistrates’ court of an unlimited fine.
carmen.reichman@ft.com
