Georg Holm and frontman Jonsi Birgisson, along with former bandmate Orri Pall Dyrason were accused of committing tax fraud in 2019 by Iceland's directorate of Internal Revenue.
- May 27, 2021
AceShowbiz - Icelandic group Sigur Ros has been acquitted of tax evasion.
In 2019, Georg Holm and frontman Jonsi Birgisson, along with former bandmate Orri Pall Dyrason, were indicted on tax evasion charges by Iceland's directorate of Internal Revenue, accused of committing tax fraud by submitting incorrect tax returns between 2011-2014.
Jonsi was also charged for tax evasion related to his company Frakkur, and Kjartan Sveinsson who left the group in 2013, was charged with submitting incorrect tax returns from 2012 to 2014.
At the time Sigur Ros admitted they evaded payment of 151 million Icelandic krona - amounting to $1.1 million (£840,000) - in taxes between 2011 and 2014 and paid back the full amount, along with fines and interest, reported Icelandic Review. The band members insisted their financial affairs had been mishandled by an accountant.
Despite repaying the money, all those charged had their assets frozen during the trial, including property worth $6.9 million (£4.9 million) and faced further punishment through the District Prosecutor, who has now acquitted the group.
Jonsi, who was accused of evading around $245,000 (£170,000) in income taxes and around $106,000 (£75,000) in connection with his company Frakkur, on his investment taxes, was also cleared.
Sigur Ros' bassist Holm previously described the case as "one of the strangest farces I've ever encountered."
"We do not feel like we have done anything wrong and from day one when we started signing contracts it was specifically stated that we were going to be very honest about such matters and pay all our taxes here in Iceland."
The band's legal costs of $467,000 (£330,000) will be paid by the State Treasury of Iceland.
Sigur Ros received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2021 Icelandic Music Awards for their contribution to music over the past 17 years.
