Rob Cross Banned for Five Years as Director After £450,000 Tax Debt Scandal
In a dramatic development within the world of professional darts, Rob Cross, the 2018 PDC World Darts Champion, has been handed a five-year ban from serving as a company director. This measure comes after Cross’s personal company, Rob Cross Darts Limited, amassed debts totalling nearly £450,000 to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) alongside other creditors, culminating in its liquidation last year.
Cross, now 34, created the company eight years ago as a vehicle to handle his professional earnings, sponsorship deals, and substantial prize money. However, between March 2020 and November 2023, the business encountered dire financial difficulties. During this period, Cross withdrew more than £300,000 from the company’s accounts, diverting funds which should have been paid to HMRC and company creditors.
According to records published by the Insolvency Service, when the company was forced to close its doors in November 2023, its liabilities included a staggering £403,896 in corporation tax, £49,071 in VAT, and a further £12,436 in unpaid PAYE and National Insurance. Despite receiving over £1 million in darts winnings and further income from sponsorships and his management agency, the company only managed to settle £41,936 with HMRC since March 2020.
Last year, in an attempt to begin addressing the mounting debt, Cross entered into an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA), a formal agreement enabling him to repay creditors in instalments based on his fluctuating future darts income. Nevertheless, the arrangement came after funds had already been extracted from the business at the “risk and ultimate detriment of HMRC”, as Cross later admitted.
Kevin Read, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, commented on the findings, 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.” He continued: “This case demonstrates that we will pursue action against directors who deprive the public purse of much-needed funds.”
The decision to impose the ban illustrates the wider efforts by authorities to ensure fair practice amongst company directors. “The rules apply equally to everyone in business,” Read noted. “We expect all company directors to comply with their legal responsibilities. Enforcing these rules is crucial in maintaining a level playing field and preventing companies from gaining an unfair competitive advantage over compliant businesses that properly fulfil their tax obligations.”
Further scrutiny of the company’s accounts highlighted that, besides the £306,403 extracted by Cross, an additional £665,419 found its way into a close associate’s bank account — though the relationship and ultimate destination of these funds remains unclear.
Since the company’s formation in 2017, Rob Cross had served as its director, hoping it would act as a stable foundation for his growing career following his 2018 darting triumph. Instead, the venture’s collapse has cast a shadow over his professional reputation.
Under the ban, effective until June 2030, Cross is now barred from acting as a director, forming, or promoting any company, unless he is granted specific permission by a court. The sanction serves as a stark warning to others within the industry about the importance of financial compliance.
The episode comes as a significant blow to Cross, who recently featured in this year’s Premier League Darts line-up, and it has prompted broader industry discussion regarding financial management for sporting professionals. With prize money and commercial earnings often substantial and erratic, athletes are increasingly urged to seek specialist financial guidance to avoid similar pitfalls.
As the darts community absorbs the news, many are reflecting on the delicate balance required between professional success and personal responsibility. For Rob Cross, the next five years will be spent recovering his sporting reputation off the oche, while abiding by the strict terms imposed by the authorities.