Authorities jail three people, charge more individuals over tax fraud
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Tax fraud might sound like something that happens in the movies.
However, these schemes have also been on the news as of late.
A recent sting showed just how real these crimes could be.
In an operation involving the Queensland Police and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), three people have been sent to jail over a series of tax fraud schemes.
Another 18 individuals were also charged for the same offence.
According to authorities, the group orchestrated 'large-scale deceptions' targeting both financial institutions and government agencies.
These scammers have been creating fake businesses and submitting false Business Activity Statements (BAS) to the ATO.
These statements are then used to claim goods and services tax (GST) refunds they were not entitled to.
In total, the ATO was defrauded of more than $2 million in this particular operation.
However, a broader investigation launched in 2022 uncovered over $8.5 million in fraudulent claims and led to 84 people being charged.
Queensland resident Tiarn Payten Nutley was found guilty of defrauding the ATO out of $50,000.
Nutley also attempted to claim another $25,000.
She used an existing ABN for a beauty and salon services business to lodge false GST refund claims.
Nutley was sentenced to nine months in jail but was released on a recognisance order.
Nutley also shared her MyGov login with two friends, who tried to lodge six more false BAS under her name.
One of those friends, Skye Anne Hoek, managed to lodge two fraudulent BAS and pocket $25,000 in GST refunds.
Hoek was sentenced to three months in jail.
In another case, Gregory Pimm claimed to run a road freight transport business from his home.
He lodged 37 false BAS and received over $165,000 in GST refunds.
He tried to claim another $300,000 in refunds.
Pimm was sentenced to two and a half years in jail, with a minimum of six months to be served before release on a $500 recognisance.
The ATO's Acting Deputy Commissioner, Kath Anderson, pointed out that tax fraud is not a victimless crime.
'There are consequences for committing it,' Commissioner Anderson emphasised.
'These consequences can have a huge impact on your life, from employment, the ability to get a loan, to asset confiscation and ultimately jail time.'
Tax fraud does not just hurt the government.
When people cheat the system, it means less funding for Medicare, the Age Pension, and other programs that support seniors.
It could also undermine trust in the system.
Detective Senior Sergeant Brad Grace echoed the ATO's sentiment.
Sergeant Grace stated that the Queensland Police Service will continue to work closely with government partners to identify and prosecute fraudsters targeting the government.
'The cost of offending is large and has a real impact on the economy and community,' Sergeant Grace said.
Have you ever been approached by someone offering to 'fix' your tax return? Do you think the penalties for tax fraud are tough enough? We would love to read your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
However, these schemes have also been on the news as of late.
A recent sting showed just how real these crimes could be.
In an operation involving the Queensland Police and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), three people have been sent to jail over a series of tax fraud schemes.
Another 18 individuals were also charged for the same offence.
According to authorities, the group orchestrated 'large-scale deceptions' targeting both financial institutions and government agencies.
These scammers have been creating fake businesses and submitting false Business Activity Statements (BAS) to the ATO.
One of the detained individuals was a woman based in Queensland. Image Credit: Pexels/Tima Miroshnichenko
These statements are then used to claim goods and services tax (GST) refunds they were not entitled to.
In total, the ATO was defrauded of more than $2 million in this particular operation.
However, a broader investigation launched in 2022 uncovered over $8.5 million in fraudulent claims and led to 84 people being charged.
Queensland resident Tiarn Payten Nutley was found guilty of defrauding the ATO out of $50,000.
Nutley also attempted to claim another $25,000.
She used an existing ABN for a beauty and salon services business to lodge false GST refund claims.
Nutley was sentenced to nine months in jail but was released on a recognisance order.
Nutley also shared her MyGov login with two friends, who tried to lodge six more false BAS under her name.
One of those friends, Skye Anne Hoek, managed to lodge two fraudulent BAS and pocket $25,000 in GST refunds.
Hoek was sentenced to three months in jail.
In another case, Gregory Pimm claimed to run a road freight transport business from his home.
He lodged 37 false BAS and received over $165,000 in GST refunds.
He tried to claim another $300,000 in refunds.
Pimm was sentenced to two and a half years in jail, with a minimum of six months to be served before release on a $500 recognisance.
The ATO's Acting Deputy Commissioner, Kath Anderson, pointed out that tax fraud is not a victimless crime.
'There are consequences for committing it,' Commissioner Anderson emphasised.
'These consequences can have a huge impact on your life, from employment, the ability to get a loan, to asset confiscation and ultimately jail time.'
Tax fraud does not just hurt the government.
When people cheat the system, it means less funding for Medicare, the Age Pension, and other programs that support seniors.
It could also undermine trust in the system.
Detective Senior Sergeant Brad Grace echoed the ATO's sentiment.
Sergeant Grace stated that the Queensland Police Service will continue to work closely with government partners to identify and prosecute fraudsters targeting the government.
'The cost of offending is large and has a real impact on the economy and community,' Sergeant Grace said.
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