Authorities charge 18 people with GST fraud in excess of $2 million
Authorities have charged 18 people with more than 200 counts of fraud offences worth more than $2m on the Atherton Tablelands in Far North Queensland. What happened in court.
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Authorities have charged 18 people with more than 200 counts of fraud offences worth more than $2m on the Atherton Tablelands in Far North Queensland.
Detectives from the Far Northern Major and Organised Crime Squad, supported by officers from the Major Organised Crime Squad and Tablelands Criminal Investigation Branch have charged 18 people with 223 fraud offences.
The investigation, in partnership with the ATO’s Operation Protego, is an investigation into widespread GST fraud where offenders invented fake businesses and submitted fictitious Business Activity Statements in an attempt to gain a false GST refund.
It will be alleged these individuals collectively defrauded the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) of in excess of $2m.
Officer in charge of the Far Northern Major and Organised Crime Squad Detective Senior Sergeant Brad Grace said police alleged the offenders invented false businesses and submitted fictitious business activity statements to gain goods and services refunds from the ATO.
“The offenders would utilise their MyGov account to create fictitious businesses, then make fraudulent refund claims to the ATO for GST refunds,” he said.
“Since this operation was launched in 2022, the major organised crime squad has prosecuted 85 people in Cairns and the Tablelands with the assistance of the ATO for more than $8.5 million.”
Sgt Grace confirmed the offending was not connected to a fraud scheme popularised on social media app TikTok.
“The investigation locally has not identified anything to do with TikTok, however I believe nationally the TikTok platform was utilised to share information,” he said.
“Our operation was purely from a local perspective.”
He said police would continue to target this type of offending.
“The Queensland Police Service will continue to work closely with our government partners to identify and prosecute criminals who profit from defrauding the government,” Sergeant Grace said.
“The cost of offending is large and has a real impact on the economy and community, the results would not have been possible without the assistance provided by the Australian Taxation Office.”
ATO acting Deputy Commissioner and Serious Financial Crime Taskforce Chief Kath Anderson reinforced if people were involved in fraud on the ATO, it was just a matter of time before offenders were found.
“GST fraud is not a victimless crime and there are consequences for committing it,” Ms Anderson said.
“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.”
A 40-year-old Mareeba woman was charged with seven counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception and two counts of attempted obtaining financial advantage by deception.
A 49-year-old Tolga woman was charged with three counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception and one count of attempted obtaining financial advantage by deception.
A 47-year-old Mareeba man was charged with eight counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception and three counts of attempted obtaining financial advantage by deception.
All three were due to appear in the Mareeba Magistrates Court on May 26.
A 47-year-old Wongabel woman, Rebecca Joy Guilfoyle, was charged with eight counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception.
A 34-year-old Atherton woman, Stevie-Lee Sommers, was charged with five counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception, nine counts of attempted obtaining financial advantage by deception, and one count of dealing in proceeds of crime worth $100,000 or more.
A 41-year-old Atherton man, Sean John Phillip Townsley, was charged with 12 counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception, and eight counts of attempted obtaining financial advantage by deception.
A 27-year-old Tarzali man, Jasper Huddleston, was charged with seven counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception and 11 counts of attempted obtaining financial advantage by deception.
A 28-year-old Atherton woman, Stephanie Rose Bender, was charged with 17 counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception and six counts of attempted obtaining financial advantage by deception.
A 49-year-old Kairi woman, Kylie Marie Weare, was charged with five counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception.
A 27-year-old Atherton, Alannah Louise Stumm, woman was charged with eight counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception and two counts of attempted obtaining financial advantage by deception.
A 47-year-old Atherton woman, De’Anne Twynette Mount, was charged with seven counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception and three counts of attempted obtaining financial advantage by deception.
A 37-year-old Tolga woman, Misti Anna Bowder-Brandt, was charged with six counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception and one count of attempted obtaining financial advantage by deception.
A 54-year-old Atherton man Brian Timothy Carleton was charged with two counts each of obtaining financial advantage by deception and attempted obtaining financial advantage by deception.
A 39-year-old Atherton woman, Sondra Marie Clarke, was charged with six counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception and five counts of attempted obtaining financial advantage by deception.
A 33-year-old Herberton man, Joseph Edmond Adams, was charged with seven counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception and 24 counts of attempted obtaining financial advantage by deception.
A 48-year-old Normanton man, Ben Mark Nicholls, was charged with five counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception and three counts of attempted obtaining financial advantage by deception.
A 50-year-old Elimbah man, Mark Joseph McAlpine, was charged with nine counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception and two counts of attempted obtaining financial advantage by deception.
A 54-year-old Mackay woman, Debbie-Anne Carleton, was charged with nine counts each of obtaining financial advantage by deception and attempted obtaining financial advantage by deception.
All defendants had their matters heard in Atherton Magistrates Court on May 27.
All matters were adjourned by Magistrate Kevin Priestly until July 22, no pleas have been entered and bail was enlarged, with the exception of Mark Joseph McAlpine who failed to appear and a warrant was issued.
Operation Uniform Galician was launched in the Far North in 2022, to investigate several people involved in a number of large-scale deceptions against government agencies and financial institutions where they provided false details in order to receive fraudulent payments.
Since Operation Uniform Galician launched, the Far Northern Major and Organised Crime Squad along with the ATO have charged 84 Cairns and Tablelands offenders with defrauding the ATO of more than $8.5 million.
Originally published as Authorities charge 18 people with GST fraud in excess of $2 million
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