A businessman in Ammanford has been told he has six months to pay £25,000 after he and a colleague made £2.7 million through tax fraud and money laundering.

Richard John Safadi was due to appear before Swansea Crown Court Thursday, but did not appear and in his absence Judge Peter Haywood made an order stating he must pay £25,000 contribution towards costs within six months.

He, together with Mandy Jane Galinsky, also a company director, made the money while running Penybanc Car Sales and Ammanford Metal Recycling.

The pair, who pleaded guilty to fraudulently evading income tax and VAT from 2006 to 2012, had tried to cover up the fraud by changing the names, directorships and shareholders of their businesses.

Penybanc Car Sales Limited and Ammanford Metal Recycling Limited had initially traded as Jobspot Limited and then as Valuebright Limited.

Investigators found they charged customers £1.6 million in VAT, but only passed £40,000 to HMRC.

The pair were also found to have pocketed more than £640,000 in corporation tax due on profits.

Safadi, 47, of Rem y Coleg, Carmarthen, failed to file a tax return on his personal income despite becoming a millionaire.

He took more than £280,000 in tax that should have been paid to HMRC.

Galinsky, 53, of Tycroes Road, Tycroes, claimed she had earned nothing since 2009 but made £500,000 and kept £230,000 she should have paid in tax.

Investigators discovered profits from both companies going into private bank accounts.

Safadi was sentenced to 24 months, suspended for 24, and Galinsky to 10 months, suspended for 18.

Safadi has previously paid back £888,142.82.