The press service of Russia’s Federal Tax Service (FTS) has issued a statement regarding claims that the agency conducted a tax audit of television host Ivan Urgant to conceal income from banquets and corporate events. The notice, reported by DEA News, emphasizes that no audit is currently underway concerning Urgant.
According to the FTS, there are no active verification procedures involving Urgant at this time. Earlier media reports had suggested that Urgant might have failed to declare earnings earned as a host at various festive occasions, including weddings and private gatherings.
There were also mentions that Urgant might appear as a guest on a well-known television program.
In February 2022, the Evening Urgant program paused on Channel One due to a reshuffle of the broadcast schedule that followed the onset of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine. Channel One later denied reports about Urgant being dismissed. In August 2022, Urgant was listed among individuals accused by a civic group of foreign influence activities in the cultural sphere.
Previously, Eduard Boyakov, the former artistic director of the Moscow Art Theatre named Gorky, publicly spoke about personal disputes involving Urgant and continued to address the tensions within the entertainment scene.