Anton Rain Rylance pleads guilty to defrauding Australian Taxation Office of $150k to pay poker debt

A young boilermaker defrauded the Australian Taxation Office of nearly $150,000 after inventing a fake business. A Logan court has heard he did it to pay for his drug and poker addiction.

Anton Rain Rylance pleaded guilty to defrauding the Australian Taxation Office. FILE PHOTO

A Logan boilermaker has faced court for defrauding the Australian Taxation Office of $144,000 after creating a fake business to pay off his poker and drug debts.

Anton Rain Rylance, 25, of Kingston, pleaded guilty in Beenleigh District Court on May 7, 2024 to three counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception and three counts of attempt obtaining financial advantage by deception.

The Crown Prosecutor told the court Rylance created a false ABN (tax file number).

Between March and May, 2022, he lodged seven false business activity statements (BAS) with the tax office, claiming $388,000 in GST refunds.

“The entirety of the GST statements submitted was a falsification,” Ms Walker said.

“The first three counts which related to lodgements made in January, February and March of 2022 were paid into his own bank account that he nominated.

“This resulted in $144,000 being paid into his bank account, 28 days after he submitted the claim.’’

Rylance claimed a further $248,000 from the ATO. It was not paid out as tax officials began investigating his claims and placed a credit suppression on his account, the court was told.

Ms Walker said in order for Rylance to be entitled to the full GST amount he claimed he would have had to have spent $4,286,000 during the eight-month period.

“This amount of spending was not found in his bank statements, he did not have that financial capacity,” Ms Walker said.

The court heard Rylance had a minor and unrelated criminal history with most of his convictions relating to drugs.

Ms Walker said the ATO initiated a criminal investigation on May 27, 2022 and conducted a search at Rylance’s registered business on June 16 that year.

“The tax system relies on the honesty of its users and fraud is difficult to detect as it is complicated and resource intensive,” she said.

“BAS fraud was circulated on social media with people increasingly creating ABN’s and committing fraud.

“This sentence should send a strong message to others tempted to engage in similar conduct.

“This was not spontaneous offending, (there was) a lot of money obtained over a short period of time.’’

The court heard Rylance’s fraud was based on “greed rather than need”.

Defence barrister Mr Taylor said Rylance committed the fraudulent claims to pay off his large drug and gambling debt.

“He thought it to be the most convenient way to repay his debt,” Mr Taylor said.

“He is the father of a three-year-old boy and a thirteen-year-old boy.’’

Mr Taylor told the court Rylance had suffered with a drug addiction and mental health issues from a young age.

“He has an extreme history of suffering physical and mental abuse,” he said.

“He is engaged with a psychiatrist and is receiving mental health treatment.’’

The court heard Rylance had a solid employment history as a boilermaker and was no longer gambling.

“He has been a productive worker in the field he has chosen,” Mr Taylor said.

Judge Wooldridge, KC, sentenced Rylance to two-and-a-half years’ jail. He would be eligible for release after serving eight months.

Judge Jodie Wooldridge also imposed two years’ probation. Convictions were recorded.