Dodgy tax agent jailed over $800k fraud

A veteran tax agent has been sent to prison for at least three and a half years and ordered to repay more than $600,000 over a massive fraud scheme.

A dodgy tax agent has been forced to repay over $600,000 and will spend years in jail after his colleagues uncovered his massive fraud scheme.

Peter Lines was sentenced in Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court after a chain of events which began when his colleagues tipped off authorities.

Between 2014 and 2018, Lines, a registered tax agent and accountant of 30 years, submitted a series of fraudulent tax returns in his clients’ names without their knowledge.

The ATO said he covered up the scheme by creating fake notices of assessment.

However, his house of cards came crashing down when colleagues detected several abnormal transactions and tipped off the ATO and Tax Practitioners Board.

The ATO said he obtained more than $600,000 via the fraudulent refunds and attempted to fleece a further $180,000.

Peter Lines was jailed in Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

Lines pleaded guilty to 23 counts, including 21 counts of obtaining a financial advantage by deception.

He was last month sentenced to six years in prison with a non-parole period of three years and six months, meaning he won’t be eligible for release until March 2026.

Lines was also ordered to pay back $612,000.

He has also lodged a notice to appeal against the length of his sentence.

“As part of the ATO’s response to the shadow economy, we support tax professionals – and the broader integrity of the profession – by taking appropriate action against the small number of people who do the wrong thing,” ATO assistant commissioner Jade Hawkins said.

“Tax professionals play an integral role in supporting the tax and super systems for all Australians. To the small number of tax professionals who don’t follow the rules, know that we will take action against you.

“We have systems in place to detect fraud but reporting anything you come across can help us stop it before it happens.”