From Iceland — Sigur Rós Band Members Charged With Tax Fraud

Sigur Rós Band Members Charged With Tax Fraud

Published March 28, 2019

Andie Sophia Fontaine
Photo by
Spencer Miller

Four members of the band Sigur Rós have been charged with tax evasion, just over a year from when they were last charged with the same.

RÚV reports that Georg Holm, Kjartan Sveinsson, Orri Páll Dýrason and Jón Þór Birgisson are charged with not reporting on income or dividends, in whole or in part. No court date has yet been set but formal charges have been filed.

All of them, with the exception of Kjartan, have been charged with major tax fraud for filing inaccurate returns from 2011 until and including 2014; Kjartan is charged with filing an inaccurate return in 2012 and 2014.

Jón Þór—better known as the singer Jónsi—is alleged to have escaped the payment of income tax of over 30 million ISK and a capital income tax of 13 million ISK. Georg Holm, the bassist, is alleged to have escaped the payment of income tax of over 35 million ISK and a capital income tax of 9.5 million ISK. Kjartan, who left the band six years ago, is said to have availed himself of over 18 million ISK in income tax, while Orri Páll, who quit the band last October, is said to have availed himself of over 36 million ISK in income tax and 9.5 million ISK in capital gains tax.

Furthermore, the band’s accountant is said to have not filed tax returns for Jónsi for the years 2014 and 2015, avoiding paying taxes on 22.6 million ISK in income tax and 10 million ISK in capital gains.

Financial scandal has dogged the band for over a year now, culminating in tax evasion charges last year, which were later dropped.

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