This Month
- Investigation
- Mining
The $45m MinRes property deal – with the Ellisons on the other side
Investors in the iron ore and lithium miner would have had no idea that MinRes’ joint venture partner in a big Perth real estate play was the company’s founder.
Meet Chris Ellison’s personal accountant
Yenna Ong, the number cruncher who managed the Mineral Resources founder’s private affairs, rapidly gained great power. Then just as suddenly, she was gone.
Inside the two-week unravelling of Chris Ellison’s hold on MinRes
Monday’s attempt to draw a line in the sand still leaves unanswered questions for shareholders and investigators about the goings-on at Mineral Resources.
- Exclusive
- Mining
MinRes paid a 70pc mark up to rent Chris Ellison-owned properties
Independent valuations that the owners of the four industrial facilities commissioned themselves indicated that the leases were well in excess of market rates.
Ellison’s executives revealed as owners in blockbuster lithium IPO
Mark Wilson was among a group of executives who report to Chris Ellison, who bought into Kali Metals – the miner targeted by Mineral Resources.
October
- Opinion
- Tax disputes
The documents MinRes directors didn’t see
Magic money, a disappearing depreciation claim – Chris Ellison’s excellent offshore adventure skips a few details.
- Exclusive
- Tax avoidance
How Chris Ellison’s secrets came to light
Allegations of serial tax evasion have raised questions about how the miner Mineral Resources is being run.
- Exclusive
- Mining
MinRes sold Chris Ellison farm equipment at steep discount
The company’s managing director and another director, Tim Roberts, bought the machinery for their New Zealand property at a bargain price, documents show.
- Analysis
- Tax avoidance
When did the MinRes board learn of Chris Ellison’s offshore scandal?
Directors of the major mining group should answer two core questions: when did they find out about it, and why didn’t they tell shareholders?
- Exclusive
- Tax avoidance
MinRes scheme enriched execs, allegedly at investors’ expense
Peter Wade failed to disclose his interest in Chris Ellison’s tax evasion scheme, which cost shareholders more than $7 million.
MinRes board investigating Ellison’s alleged tax evasion scheme
Chairman James McClements has confirmed that the board is investigating revelations that managing director Chris Ellison operated an offshore tax evasion scheme.
Chris Ellison’s offshore secret
An investigation by AFR Weekend has uncovered how Mineral Resources chief executive Chris Ellison, one of Australia’s richest men, allegedly evaded tax for years.
September
- Analysis
- Murdoch family case
Akin to Orwellian genius: Inside Murdochs’ Project Harmony
After a quarter-century of increasingly public bickering, today the only thing that can bring Rupert Murdoch’s family together is a court case.
August
Chris Ellison’s daughter earns millions for MinRes shipping work
Mineral Resources requires ship owners carrying the group’s iron ore exports to use a shipping agent owned by the daughter of the chief executive, says Ownership Matters.
- Opinion
- PwC tax scandal
Penitence, bravado and rattling the PwC can
The firm’s alumni deploy the “I take full responsibility, it was all the other guy’s fault” defence.
July
- Investigation
- Cyprus Confidential
Importers got rich on COVID masks; the shipment’s still on the dock
When COVID-19 erupted around the world, the race was on to secure masks and gowns. Middlemen were in lucrative taxpayer deals, even one which went awry.
- Opinion
- Rear Window
Rupert Murdoch’s family plan explodes
Project Harmony has hit the world’s rockiest succession plan like a tactical nuclear device.
- Opinion
- Rear Window
How Adobe’s PwC tax strategy came unstuck
The manoeuvres of US tech giants to avoid the Multinational Anti Avoidance Law left a paper trail.
- Opinion
- Rear Window
Chris Jordan’s valuable insights into shell companies
When it came to regulating the offshore world, the former tax commissioner had personal experience that he could have shared.
KPMG’s ghosts in the machine
A radioactive file outlining partners’ alleged behaviour could be called Wild, Crazy Things that Tax Accountants Do.