Guilty verdicts handed down for major tax fraud case, Plutpus Payroll case

Three men at the centre of a major tax fraud trial have been found guilty of siphoning $105m in taxes for the purpose of funding an affluent lifestyle.

Dev Menon outside Darlinghurst Court in Sydney on Tuesday. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Three men at the centre of a major tax fraud trial have been found guilty of siphoning $105m in taxes for the purpose of funding an affluent lifestyle.

Ringleader Adam Cranston, his sister Lauren Cranston, lawyer Dev Menon, Patrick Willmott and Jason Onley appeared before the NSW Supreme Court to defend themselves against charges of conspiring to cause loss to the commonwealth and conspiring to deal with proceeds of crime.

Jurors found Adam Cranston, Menon and Onley guilty of both offences after weeks of deliberations, with a decision yet to be made on Lauren Cranston and Mr Willmott.

The court was told Adam Cranston’s company, Plutus Payroll, allegedly kept $105m in taxes over a three-year period. Prosecutors said Plutus siphoned PAYG and GST funds into second-tier companies. In the lead-up to the trial, prosecutors seized millions of dollars worth of sports cars, watches and jewellery.

Each defendant entered a plea of not guilty, with Adam Cranston saying he was unaware his company allegedly withheld the $105m.

Justice Anthony Payne has heard the case, which has been before running since last April.

Adam Cranston’s defence told the court the Plutus owner believed his company was profitable when he took it over in June 2016 and claimed he did not know money was coming from taxes meant for the commonwealth.

His sister’s lawyer said she was just an employee and unaware of conspiracy.

Adam and Lauren’s father, Michael Cranston, was an ATO deputy commissioner during the period of his children’s alleged tax fraud.