Simon McGraw director of collapsed company, R-SR Australia, rips of government

A pumped-up Noble Park muscle man who imports Japanese car parts has been nabbed for his role in rorting the government to the tune of $90,000.

Simon McGraw fronted court where he was sentenced over fraudulent payments.

A Melbourne muscle man who imports Japanese car parts says he was “blissfully unaware” of where $90,000 that flooded into his bank account came from before his lies collapsed around him.

Simon McGraw, 40, fronted the County Court on Thursday charged with knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime.

McGraw, of Noble Park, was the director of carpart importing business R-SR Australia when he played a role in rorting the back-to-work scheme which enabled businesses to gain financial backing to hire and train new employees.

McGraw provided the false employment information of another person before the cash was transferred to his Commonwealth bank account on multiple occasions.

McGraw managed to fleece a combined $90,000 from the fraudulent applications his co-accused made to the State Revenue Office and the Queensland government between May 2016 and June 2017.

The court heard McGraw told investigators he was “blissfully unaware” of where the money was coming from and in early interviews said it was payment for work he had done on his friend’s house.

But while Judge Ellis acknowledged McGraw played no role in the fraudulent activity, he would have had some knowledge the money he was getting from his friend wasn’t clean.

Simon McGraw fronted court on Thursday.

“You were not the mastermind or the architect in this,” she said.

McGraw’s co-accused has pleaded guilty to three charges of obtaining financial advantage by deception and the court heard she used details that were both false and for people that had no association with the applications to apply for these payments.

McGraw, who had a steady employment history up until a motorcycle accident in 2018, worked for multiple publishing companies before starting his own business importing Japanese car parts to Australia.

Judge Ellis acknowledged McGraw’s business had shut down since the offending was made public last year.

She also said McGraw had had a “difficult” childhood but had gone on to “make something of (himself)”, finishing high school in Frankston and then earning a bachelor’s degree.

The court heard McGraw’s long-term partner described him as a “caring and kind hearted person” in a character reference.

Judge Ellis said during sentencing it was a “serious offence” as it involved money that was “designed to facilitate employment”.

“You were not the mastermind but you did play a role,” she said.

McGraw was convicted and placed on a two and a half year community corrections order in which he will have to complete 150 hours of unpaid community work and undertake alcohol and drug counselling.