ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has identified over 20 social media influencers leading extravagant lifestyles while declaring minimal income or assets. According to officials, these individuals frequently showcased luxury cars, branded goods, and lavish foreign trips online, yet reported modest earnings. The FBR’s Lifestyle Monitoring Cell uncovered strong evidence linking their online displays of wealth to underreported income and hidden assets.
One prominent case involves a well-known travel vlogger who documented frequent international trips between 2020 and 2025, sharing visits to Europe and the Middle East. Despite the visible affluence, the influencer declared an annual income of less than Rs. 1 million. Officials said the pattern reveals consistent underreporting of income over multiple years.
Records show the vlogger’s declared income ranged from Rs. 490,800 in 2020 to Rs. 816,800 in 2024, while the cost of frequent foreign trips far exceeded reported earnings. The FBR concluded that the data clearly exposes mismatches between declared income and evident lifestyle expenses.
In another case, investigators uncovered Rs. 180.5 million worth of concealed assets belonging to a political family member from South Punjab. The taxpayer allegedly owned four luxury vehicles — a Lexus LX 570, Toyota Fortuner Legender, Suzuki Hayabusa, and BMW i7 — none of which were declared in tax filings. Despite registering in 2023, the individual disclosed only two motorcycles. FBR officials suspect deliberate concealment to evade taxation.
A separate case revealed Rs. 624 million in unreported assets tied to another taxpayer who allegedly possessed 19 luxury and high-performance cars, including a Corvette C8, Range Rover, and Land Cruiser 300 Series. None of these vehicles were listed in tax records, and the individual failed to justify their source of funds.
The FBR confirmed that all inquiries are ongoing under income tax laws, with the identities of those involved kept confidential to ensure fair legal proceedings. Officials stated that the operation aims to strengthen tax compliance and curb the concealment of wealth showcased on social media.
