Rockhampton convicted drug trafficker Jason Lloyd Wellman’s ATO GST fraud revealed

A convicted drug trafficker tried to get over $150k from the ATO through a “get rich quick scheme” he found instructions for on social media.

Jason Lloyd Wellman, 41, already serving parole for drug trafficking, tried to exploit a "get rich quick" scheme advertised on social media to defraud the ATO.

A convicted drug trafficker on parole tried to get over $150,000 from the Australian Taxation Office through a “get rich quick scheme” he found instructions for on social media.

Jason Lloyd Wellman, 41, was sentenced in Rockhampton District Court last month after he gained $31,213 in GST refunds and attempted to further gain $119,670 between February and March, 2022, the court heard.

Commonwealth prosecutor Vanessa Lyons said Wellman’s offending was detected as the last three Business Activity Statements submitted were subject to a pre-issue audit and stopped by the ATO after it was discovered he had no legitimate business.

She said Wellman’s tax fraud was part of a large ATO scam promoted on social media as a “get rich quick” scheme, off the government, where offenders set up an ABN for a fake business and submit BAS statements.

According to the ATO website, more than 100 individuals sentenced to date as part of Operation Protego including one man sentenced in the Newcastle District Court who obtained $1.1m in fraudulent GST refunds.

Ms Lyons said Wellman registered his fake business for GST and fuel tax credits which he tried to claim a total of $150,883.

“His offending was brazen and required a degree of planning and organisation,” she said.

“There were a number of preparatory steps that were required that he undertook some days prior to the offending commencing.

“His offending was persistent.”

Ms Lyons said Wellman told police that the BAS lodgement required some “trial and error” and the figures were completely made up.

She said the money that Wellman did get from the ATO scam, he primarily transferred to other people.

He was on parole at the time for trafficking in schedule one drugs after a three-year prison term was handed down by Justice Graeme Crow in the Supreme Court in November 2020.

Wellman had been released on court ordered parole on May 19, 2021.

Defence barrister Maree Willey said her client had started making payments back to the ATO, but had only paid $250 before his sentence proceedings.

She said he had a “fairly dysfunctional childhood”, leaving school after completing Year 8.

Ms Willey provided the court with five clear drug screens from between November 2024 and April 2025, and had a “fairly impressive work history” despite his drug use and limited education.

She said the father-of-three had the sole care of his 14-year-old son.

Wellman pleaded guilty last month to one count each of obtaining financial advantage by deception and attempting to obtain financial advantage by deception.

He was sentenced to 18-months prison with immediate parole release, along with being placed on a Good Behaviour order for two years with a reconnaissance of $1000 and ordered to pay the ATO back $30,963 which was outstanding on the money he actually obtained.

As part of Operation Protego, the ATO has applied treatment against more than 57,000 alleged offenders. Those involved in this fraud have already been handed in the order of $300m in penalties and interest.

As at 31 May 2025, 112 people have been convicted with a range of sentencing outcomes, including jail terms of up to seven years and six months and with orders made to restrain real property.

The ATO has finalised 62 investigations and referred 52 briefs of evidence to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.