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Repeated attempts to gain fake credits are exposed by ATO crackdown.
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GST fraudster sentenced to five years’ jail
29 August 2022
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A Queensland woman has been sentenced to five years’ jail for attempting to fraudulently obtain more than $650,000 in GST refunds.
Amanda Burman was also ordered to repay the amounts obtained and given a non-parole period of 20 months by the District Court of Queensland in Brisbane.
The court heard she submitted GST claims using two ABNs not linked to active businesses to obtain more than $150,000 and tried but failed to get a further amount of almost $500,000.
The ATO, which has been cracking down on GST fraud through Operation Protego, welcomed the sentence as a warning to others tempted to get involved.
“Deliberately trying to get more than you’re entitled to is a crime,” Assistant Commissioner Jade Hawkins said.
“When you claim a refund you’re not entitled to, you’re stealing from the community and disadvantaging everyone who does the right thing; it’s not fair and it’s not OK. This result confirms the courts will punish those who engage in GST fraud heavily.”
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The ATO uncovered the offences when Ms Burman failed to supply any evidence that she was running a business although she had used ABNs registered in her name to claim GST credits over a number of years.
The ATO disallowed the claims and cancelled her GST registrations.
Despite this, Ms Burman repeatedly reactivated her GST registration and continued to make a series of fictitious claims. On each occasion, ATO checks confirmed she had no documents to prove she was running a business.
The ATO referred Ms Burman to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions and warned it would pursue substantial penalties for others committing similar offences.
“We have sophisticated systems to detect and identify those who deliberately engage in GST fraud,” Ms Hawkins said.
“Your name could be next on our list, and you could face severe consequences, similar to what we have seen in this case.
“We take all reports of tax crime seriously. If you have any information to share, you can contact our Tax Integrity Centre.”
The ATO said tip-offs about GST fraud could be made anonymously and advised anyone considering coming forward that they could “face even tougher consequences later” should they fail to do so.
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