Tax man cometh for ABBA member Ulvaeus

Jan 4, 2007, 14:07 GMT

Stockholm - Money, Money, Money was the title of one of former ABBA member Bjorn Ulvaeus' hits, and that is what the Swedish tax authorities want from him, reports said Thursday.

The Swedish tax authorities have ruled that Ulvaeus has to pay some 16 million kronor (2.3 million dollars) in back taxes for 2004 and 2005, the daily Dagens Nyheter reported.

The tax authorities have for several years battled with Ulvaues, 61, over how much tax he should pay.

The authorities have questioned Ulvaeus' attempts to lower his income by selling the rights to his music to a Dutch-based company that channels the income to offshore tax havens in the Caribbean, the report said.

Last April he was ordered to pay 86 million kronor (12 million dollars) in unpaid taxes, fees and interest but the sum was later reduced to 65 million kronor after Ulvaeus was allowed to deduct some income for the years 1999 to 2003.

Ulvaeus has appealed to a county administrative court.

After ABBA stopped recording and touring, Ulvaeus and former ABBA- member Benny Andersson continued to collaborate and composed several popular musicals including Chess and Mamma Mia. The musicals have further improved their wealth.