Former world darts champion Rob Cross has been banned from serving as a company director for five years following his failure to pay more than £450,000 in tax.
The 34-year-old, who famously defeated Phil Taylor to win the 2018 PDC World Championship, has been disqualified until June 2030.
The Insolvency Service investigation revealed that Cross's company, Rob Cross Darts Limited, owed £465,403 to HM Revenue and Customs when it went into liquidation in November 2023.
The ban prevents the darts star from being involved in the promotion, formation or management of any company without court permission.
Rob Cross has been handed a five-year ban over £450,000 in unpaid taxes
PA
Between March 2020 and November 2023, Cross withdrew at least £306,403 from the company that should have been paid to creditors, including HMRC.
He acknowledged this was "to the risk and ultimate detriment of HMRC", according to government investigators.
The former electrician, nicknamed "Voltage", also took more than £400,000 from Rob Cross Darts Limited through a director's loan account.
By the time of liquidation, this account was overdrawn by £423,608.
Additionally, the Insolvency Service found that £665,419 was paid into the personal account of a connected party during the same period.
Kevin Read, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, condemned Cross's actions, stating: "When directors fail to pay the correct amount of tax, it directly impacts the government's ability to fund vital public services such as the NHS, schools, transport infrastructure, and our national defence."
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Read emphasised that Cross's company owed more than £400,000 in corporation tax alone when it entered liquidation.
"For more than three years, he withdrew funds from the company which should have gone to HMRC and other creditors," he said.
The chief investigator stressed that the case demonstrates the Insolvency Service's commitment to pursuing directors who deprive the public purse of essential funds.
Cross has entered into an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) to repay his debts, with monthly contributions varying based on his tournament earnings.
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Rob Cross's company owed more than £400,000 in corporation tax alone when it entered liquidation
PA
The company received just over £1 million from Cross's earnings between March 2020 and November 2023, plus £169,500 in sponsorships and £261,901 from his management company.
When Rob Cross Darts Limited went into liquidation, it owed £403,896 in corporation tax, £49,071 in VAT, and £12,436 in PAYE and National Insurance contributions.
The company had paid only £41,936 to HMRC during the three-year period, leaving total liabilities of £579,805.
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