Peter Kay, Caitlin Hall, Abraham Sayour to face trial
A trio will face trial over allegations of their involvement in a multimillion-dollar tax fraud and money laundering scheme allegedly run by construction identity George Alex.
The Express
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A trio will face trial over allegations they recklessly dealt with the proceeds of the crime related to a multimillion-dollar tax fraud and money laundering scheme allegedly run by construction identity George Alex.
Peter Kay, 54, the brother-in-law of Mr Alex, Caitlin Hall, 32, and Abraham Sayour, 25, were committed for trial in the District Court this week for allegations of reckless handling of various amounts of alleged proceeds of crime.
The Australian Federal Police have arrested 14 co-accused in total over the alleged criminal syndicate which police say defrauded the Australian Taxation Office of millions and laundered the money through offshore companies.
Kay, Hall and Sayour appeared at the Downing Centre Local Court via an audiovisual link from their lawyer Abbas Soukie’s office, in relation to their alleged lesser roles in the alleged syndicate.
Kay, of Earlwood, will defend one charge at trial that he recklessly dealt with more than $450,000 in the proceeds of crime – money meant for the tax office – between October, 2018 and August, 2020.
Sayour is charged with recklessly dealing with more than $1m in the proceeds of crime between November, 2018 and July, 2020.
Police allege the Wentworthville man used various bank accounts to receive illegal funds meant for the tax office.
Hall, from Vaucluse, also faces one charge of recklessly dealing with more than $1 million in the proceeds of crime.
According to court documents, between July, 2018, and July, 2020, police allege Hall dealt with money that was proceeds of crime and was reckless to whether the money was proceeds of crime.
Hall was charged early in the investigation alongside about a dozen others in July 2020, while Sayour and Kay were charged in August and September of this year.
Eleven other co-accused allegedly involved in the major criminal investigation, including Alex, his son Arthur and Adrian Metly, also had their matters mentioned in the Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday.
They were all adjourned for one month for committal.
Alex, 50, is charged with conspire to cause loss to the Commonwealth alongside a number of co-accused and dealing with the property proceeds of crime.
He currently lives in Surfers Paradise, according to court documents.
The matters of Kay, Hall and Sayour will be committed to the District Court on December 17.
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