Accused race fixer Paul ‘Swayze’ Sequenzia chased over unpaid $1.7m tax bill

A MELBOURNE underworld and racing figure with links to the Mokbel and Moran clans allegedly owes a fortune in unpaid taxes.

The Australian Taxation Office claims trainer Paul Sequenzia, pictured here in 2002, failed to pay his tax bill for three years and now owes more than $1.7 million.

A MELBOURNE underworld figure, Mokbel family associate and accused race-fixer is being chased by the Australian Taxation Office to pay a $1.7 million tax bill.

Paul “Swayze” Sequenzia, whose sister is the widow of slain gangster Mark Moran and is an associate of Horty Mokbel, has been identified as a large gambler who associates with Melbourne’s criminal network.

Drug trafficking charges against him that related to his involvement in an alleged $2 billion drug ring run by the Mokbels were dropped in 2004.

According to court documents he was seen by police attending TABs with members of the Mokbel clan.

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Close associate of the Moran family Paul Sequenzia attends a Harness Racing inquiry into Em Maguane's positive test for the drug EPO in 2009.

Horse trainer Paul Sequenzia outside the Melbourne Magistrates Court after being bailed on drug trafficking charges in 2002.

The Deputy Commissioner of Taxation has filed a writ in the Supreme Court seeking to get a judgment against Mr Sequenzia after his failure for almost three years to pay the bill.

In 2015 Mr Sequenzia and his brothers Ricky and Daniel were hit with tax bills totalling some $6 million for allegedly failing to declare income. Mr Sequenzia was given until October that year to pay taxes for five years dating back to July 2007.

According to the ATO’s statement of claim, Mr Sequenzia now owes $733,442 in unpaid income tax, $309,376 in interest and $648,068 in penalties.

Mr Sequenzia was well known in racing circles and owned race horses and greyhounds.

Harness Racing Victoria asked police to ban him from the state’s race tracks in 2015 amid allegations that he was involved in a cobalt horse-doping program and was connected to a race-fixing syndicate.

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Mr Sequenzia was alleged to be part of the so-called big betting “tracksuit gang” whose members reportedly included organised criminals, punters and racing figures with close ties to jockeys, bookmakers and trainers.

Harness racing authorities also examined the legitimacy of Mr Sequenzia’s ownership of star horse Fake Smile, suspicious he still had control of the horse after selling it in 2015.

Mr Sequenzia had also previously been investigated over his ownership of another star, Sushi Sushi, which won more than $1.1 million.

In 2016 at the request of racing officials, Mr Sequenzia was banned from race tracks under provisions that allow notices to be issued against anyone suspected of using a racetrack for criminal purposes, or where it was deemed exclusion would be in the public interest.

Mr Sequenzia’s network includes figures suspected of doping horses with substances including cobalt, an inquiry then heard. He and his Royal Flush Group owned the horse Em Maguane, named after 1990s Collingwood player Mick Maguane and which tested positive for doping agent EPO in 2009, according to Harness Racing Victoria. Mr Sequenzia’s racing licence application was refused as a result and other Royal Flush Group horses were stood down.

Greyhound Racing Victoria banned him from training or owning greyhounds following a probe in 2015.

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Originally published as Accused race fixer Paul ‘Swayze’ Sequenzia chased over unpaid $1.7m tax bill