Predrag Vujmilovic pleads guilty to five years of tax evasion in Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court
A Melbourne construction manager has tried to build his way out of trouble by justifying five years of tax evasion through a “misunderstanding” with his accountant.
South East
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A construction manager has blamed five years of tax evasion on a “misunderstanding” with his accountant after being caught out by the ATO.
Predrag Vujmilovic — construction manager of Pascoe Vale tiling company Brady Tiling — pleaded guilty in the Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court on April 2 to five counts of failing to submit income tax returns to the tax office.
The court heard Vujmilovic didn’t lodge returns between 2016 and 2023, racking up a $6090 tax bill.
Vujmilovic was contacted a total of nine times between 2023 and 2024 with reminders to lodge the documents, however failed to do so until the evening before his hearing.
On Wednesday, the construction manager still owed $1110 to the tax office.
In court, Vujmilovic told Magistrate Justin Foster he hadn’t lodged his tax returns because of a misunderstanding with his accountant.
“In 2016 I started a business with a business partner and at the time our accountant was being paid to take care of it,” he said.
“(The accountant) organised the company and we had two different trusts for tax purposes, I didn’t really understand these things.”
Vujmilovic said he was now “taking the matter more seriously”.
Vujmilovic — originally from Serbia — told the court a conviction would restrict his ability to travel overseas to see him family.
Mr Foster fined him $2000 without conviction.
The construction manager promised the court to stay up to date with his tax affairs in the future.
