Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
NZ cattleman jailed for Aussie tax fraud
A New Zealand national who made false tax claims on Australian business activity statements has been jailed for five years and 10 months.
October 3, 2018
A New Zealand cattleman who cheated on his companies’ Australian goods and services tax refund claims has been jailed for fraud.
Anthony Lee was sentenced on Wednesday at the Brisbane District Court to five years and 10 months in prison for charges related to fictitious goods and services tax refund claims.
The 65-year-old made the fraudulent expense claims worth around $820,000 when he was living and working in Brisbane in 2014.
The Australian Taxation Office says the company director lodged five business activity statement claims to fraudulently collect $735,049 in GST refunds while he was the head of cattle purchasing and exporting business Agri Beef Cattle Company.
He claimed a further $85,259 in false GST refunds as the director of HQB Exporters.
The ATO said Lee overstated the business expense claims and did not provide any tax invoices to substantiate the fictitious expense claims.
He was also ordered to repay the money.