Revhead Gippsland mum Melanie Hooimeyer pleads guilty to GST fraud, stolen cash spent on cars

A pregnant mum stole taxpayer coin to fund her V8 car hobby via a GST rort allegedly shared on social media by Melbourne hoons.

Lang Lang mum Melanie Hooimeyer pleaded guilty to obtaining financial advantage by deception. Photo: Instagram.

A revhead mum with a love of V8s stole $144,000 via a GST scam linked to Melbourne’s outlaw hoon network.

Melanie Hooimeyer, 25, was sentenced in the County Court on Wednesday to an eight-month jail term after pleading guilty to obtain a financial advantage by deception.

Hooimeyer, of Lang Lang stole $144,648 via multiple bogus GST claims between March and August 2022.

Hooimeyer, who worked as a Deliveroo delivery driver, also pleaded guilty to attempting to obtain a financial advantage by deception.

The court heard Hooimeyer made a final claim for $15,454 in September 2022 but the refund was knocked back by the ATO.

Hooimeyer was “assisted by a third party” for her first few dodgy transactions, the court was told.

Tax office investigators cottoned onto Hooimeyer’s offending and hauled the “full-time mum” in for questioning.

Hooimeyer, who has no priors nor has she spent a day in custody, admitted lodging fake claims.

Hooimeyer’s modus operandi was perpetrated and shared on social media among criminals including Melbourne’s outlaw hoons.

An Australia-wide investigation was launched to take-down the “widespread fraud event”, the court was told.

The defence submitted Hooimeyer’s “interest in cars” led her to be “associated” with “people (who) were involved in criminal activity”.

“It’s through these people, this social group, she’s introduced to the ATO scam and became involved in the offending,” the defence submitted.

Hooimeyer told police she spent most of the cash on buying and doing up old cars then selling them.

“It was too easy (I) let it get the best of (me),” Hooimeyer told police.

Judge Damian Murphy said Hooimeyer engaged in “indulgent expenditure”.

“Well she’s buying V8 cars, that’s indulgent expenditure …,” Judge Murphy said.

“She hasn’t paid a cent back … according to the prosecution opening, she paid a couple of dollars back …”

The defence submitted Hooimeyer would endure “hardship” in prison because she’s pregnant.

“The impact the imprisonment will have on Miss Hooimeyer … and the hardship of imprisonment whilst pregnant is a matter the court can … take into account,” the defence submitted.

“Pregnancy can’t immunise people from imprisonment …,” Judge Murphy said.

“This is a sophisticated fraud on the revenue involving a not insignificant amount of money …”

Hooimeyer, who previously worked at McDonald’s, must be of good behaviour for two years after she is released from custody.

Melbourne Hoon ringleader Andrew Drew.

The tax office launched ‘Operation Protego’ to investigate a suspected widespread multimillion-dollar GST fraud which allegedly involved Melbourne’s hoon network.

Tax office investigators teamed with Victoria Police’s anti-hoon squad to multiple people suspected of being involved in the Australia-wide scam.

Key hoon Andrew Drew was sentenced in the County Court in April after pleading guilty to his role in the GST racket.

Drew learned how to commit the lucrative fraud via his TikTok network and the scam was allegedly shared, taught and perpetrated by other suspected Melbourne hoons.

It’s understood investigators were probing up to 40 “persons of interest” linked to Melbourne’s hoon network and suspected of swindling about $6m.

Drew, who also pleaded guilty to multiple attempts to obtain financial advantage charges, created a fake “automotive” business and lodged bogus claims to glean taxpayer cash.

He also falsified various NSW addresses to throw investigators off his scent.

The court heard Drew rorted $111,494 between February and August 2022.

Drew told cops he had a $1600 daily cocaine habit and blew about 4g a day up his nose.

He also admitted learning the GST fraud via TikTok but didn’t offer up any others involved in the scam.

Zara Lunney-Adams

The infamous Drew was jailed in October 2022 for 16 months for taunting cops and inciting illegal street meets across Melbourne.

Drew first landed on the police radar after his distinctive Holden Commodore was spotted at several illegal street meets in November 2021.

He performed burnouts and other dangerous moves at meets at Keysborough, Knoxfield and Dandenong South.

Dandenong High Risk Driving Crew members tracked down Drew and his distinctive Commodore – bearing plates ‘RN4MUK’ – in December 2021.

Drew conspired with his then girlfriend Zara Lunney-Adams to have associate Caleb Cromarty nominate himself as the driver and throw police off the scent.

Lunney-Adams and Cromarty – who both pleaded guilty to attempt to pervert the course of justice – were convicted and handed two-year community correction orders.

Drew, who had spent 85 days on remand, was sentenced to an 18-month jail term but released onto a two-year good behaviour bond after serving three months.