‘Chief financial officer’ of $105m tax rip off Patrick Willmott jailed for six years

Patrick Willmott has been jailed over his role in a $105 million tax fraud scheme that was run by Adam Cranston

The “chief financial officer” of a $105 million tax fraud syndicate will spend a minimum of six years in jail.

Patrick Willmott was sentenced in the NSW Supreme Court on Friday for his role in the massive tax rip off that was run by a collection of white collar finance workers, a tax lawyer and others.

One of the architects of the scheme was Adam Cranston, the son of ex deputy commissioner for the Australian Taxation Office, Michael Cranston.

Michael Cranston is not accused of any wrongdoing while Adam was found guilty by a jury of running the scheme between 2014 and 2017 that saw a supposedly legitimate payroll company, Plutus Payroll, steal about $105 million from the Australian Taxation Office.

Plutus was tasked with managing the PAYG and GST payments for its clients, but instead Cranston and others stole the money using a network of second tier companies.

Patrick Willmott

Others involved included tax lawyer Dev Menon, ex pro snowboarder Jay Onley and Adam’s sister Lauren who were also found guilty by a jury.

They were found guilty of conspiring to defraud the Commonwealth and conspiring to deal with the proceeds of crime valued at $1 million or more .

Lauren was sentenced to a maximum eight years in jail on Monday while the others will be sentenced at a later date.

Willmott was found guilty by a jury of conspiring to cause a loss to the Commonwealth and dealing with the proceeds of crime worth more than $1 million.

In his sentencing remarks, Justice Anthony Payne told the court that Willmott was “a knowing and active” participant who was motivated by “financial reward”.

Lauren and Adam Cranston.

The court heard Willmott, a bachelor of business graduate and school friend of Adam, was the “Chief Financial Officer” for his section of the operation and included the title on his email sign-off.

Willmott was involved in the operation between 2014 and 2016, beginning when he was 28-year-old, before he was dismissed by Adam Cranston.

In that time, Willmott was paid just over $498,000 and was in charge of managing a number of the companies used in the tax fraud scheme and directing others lower down the chain on how to launder the stolen money.

In the period Willmott was involved, the syndicate stole more than $31 million, Justice Payne told the court.

Former ATO deputy commissioner Michael Cranston leaving Darlinghurst Courthouse after his son Adam Cranston was found guilty. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Willmott also duped a vulnerable woman who was grieving after the death of her husband.

The woman was unknowingly installed as director of one of the companies used to steal money to hide the true involvement of the syndicate members. It meant she would be pursued by the ATO for the massive tax debts collected by the company.

Adam Cranston used the stolen money to fund a lavish lifestyle that included a fleet of sports cars

Justice Payne told the court that Willmott’s offending was in the mid range but said his prospects of rehabilitating were low.

“Nothing in (Willmott’s) letter (that he wrote to the court) or psychological report indicates that Mr Willmott has accepted that any crime was committed by anyone involved in these conspiracies,” Justice Payne told the court.

“The offender displays no remorse for anything he’s done but rather writes that he is a victim of conduct by others, including the Australian Tax Office. Rather than the perpetrator of a serious crime,” he said.

“The offender does not appear to understand or accept the gross violation of societal norms involved in dishonesty taking over $30 million in taxes, which should have been available to spend by government on behalf of the community which now must be recouped by cuts to government services, increased taxes paid by other taxpayers either now or in the future.”

Willmott was sentenced to a maximum nine years with a minimum six year term.

He will be eligible for parole on March 20 2029.