Press release

Five companies shut down for filing false and forged accounts

Companies falsely claimed to have hundreds of millions of pounds in turnover and profits

From:
The Insolvency Service
Published
31 July 2025

  • Automarket Europe Limited, Integra Group Limited, Maxell Limited, Montana & Montana Limited, and Supermarket Plus Ltd filed false accounts showing turnovers of up to 拢642 million despite having no genuine business activity听

  • All five companies shared office addresses in South London and Croydon. They also falsely named reputable accountants as auditors, and failed to co-operate with Insolvency Service investigations before being shut down听

  • The companies were investigated by the Insolvency Service as a result of referrals from Companies House following legislation to improve corporate standards听

Five companies which submitted false accounts showing hundreds of millions of pounds of profits have been shut down following investigations by the Insolvency Service and Companies House.听

Automarket Europe Limited, Integra Group Limited, Maxell Limited, Montana & Montana Limited, and Supermarket Plus Ltd claimed to trade as everything from supermarkets to car dealerships but no evidence was found of any true business activity.听

The Insolvency Service investigations came following referrals from Companies House as part of the implementation of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, introduced to improve transparency over UK companies.听

Companies House now has powers to remove false, misleading or incorrect information from company registers. The Act also strengthens collaboration between the Insolvency Service and Companies House to crack down on the misuse of UK corporate structures.听

The five companies were all wound-up at the High Court in Manchester on Thursday 31 July.听

Dave Magrath, Director of Investigation and Enforcement 天美影院 at the Insolvency Service, said:听

Our investigators were concerned that there was a genuine risk that these wildly inaccurate accounts could have been used to mislead potential customers and suppliers into providing credit in the future based on completely fabricated financial information.听

Protecting the integrity of the Companies House register is crucial because UK businesses rely on this information to make informed decisions about who they trade with, lend to, and invest in. When companies submit false information, it undermines confidence in our entire business environment.听

By working together with Companies House, we can take decisive action to remove rogue companies from the system. This protects legitimate businesses and delivers the economic confidence that underpins growth and prosperity.

Investigations found that the companies were connected through a shared director and/or shareholder and registered office addresses in South Croydon and South London.听

All submitted accounts claiming hundreds of millions of pounds in profits but containing glaring inconsistencies. Each company also falsely named respected chartered accountants and solicitors in the accounts.听

Automarket Europe Limited鈥痗laimed a turnover of 拢327 million and net profit of 拢198 million for 2022. However, its declared assets jumped from 拢629,220 in 2021 to 拢84 million in the following year鈥檚 accounts - with no explanation for the increase.听

Integra Group Limited鈥痳eported similar figures, claiming 拢302 million turnover and 拢186 million profit for 2022. Again, net assets leapt from 拢602,374 in 2021 to 拢233 million in 2022.听

Maxell Limited鈥痺ent even further, claiming a turnover of 拢440 million and 拢229 million in profits in 2022. According to its accounts, assets grew from 拢618,496 to 拢422 million in one year.听

Montana & Montana Limited鈥痜alsely named PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) as its auditors across multiple years. PWC confirmed they had never worked for the company and requested the accounts be removed. The company鈥檚 supposed assets ranged from minus 拢20 million to plus 拢194 million.听

Supermarket Plus Ltd鈥痗laimed the highest turnover of all - 拢642 million - with 拢330 million profit in 2022. Its assets supposedly increased from 拢402,431 to 拢410 million.听

Despite the filed accounts claiming the companies ran substantial operations, they were written in poor English and provided no evidence of genuine trading activity.听听

All five companies failed to co-operate with Insolvency Service investigations or provide up-to-date accounting records.听

Accounts filed by Automarket Europe Limited, Maxell Limited, and Supermarket Plus Ltd were also removed from Companies House after being found to be 鈥渇actually inaccurate and forged鈥�.听

Adrian Landeg, Head of Integrity, Compliance & Enforcement at Companies House, said:听

By working closely with our stakeholders we鈥檙e now able to utilise the powers in the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act to take decisive action where false, misleading, or incorrect information is identified on the register.听

These powers have also strengthened collaboration with our partners at the Insolvency Service which, as this case demonstrates, enables us to crack down on the misuse of UK corporate structures, improve the quality of information on the register and support economic growth.

The Official Receiver has been appointed as liquidator of Automarket Europe Limited, Integra Group Limited, Maxell Limited, Montana & Montana Limited, and Supermarket Plus Ltd.听

All enquiries concerning the affairs of the five companies should be made to the Official Receiver of the Public Interest Unit: 16th Floor, 1 Westfield Avenue, Stratford, London, E20 1HZ. Email piu.or@insolvency.gov.uk.听

Further information听听

About us听

The Insolvency Service is a government agency that helps to deliver economic confidence by supporting those in financial distress, tackling financial wrongdoing and maximising returns to creditors.听

The Insolvency Service is an executive agency, sponsored by the鈥�.听

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Press Office听

Journalists with enquiries can call the Insolvency Service Press Office on 0303 003 1743 or email鈥�press.office@insolvency.gov.uk鈥�(Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).听

Out of hours听

For any out of hours media enquiries, please contact the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) newsdesk on 020 7215 2000.

Updates to this page

Published 31 July 2025