TAX CHEAT ROMEO
HIS LOVER AND THE $165M SCAM
THE massive investigation into an alleged $165 million rort that has ensnared a major tax boss and two of his kids has also roped in other high-ranking government officials.
Australian Taxation Office assistant commissioners Tony Poulakis and Scott Burrows were yesterday stood down without pay as the Australian Federal Police said that nine people had been charged over the lucrative scheme.
It’s understood that the pair – along with ATO deputy commissioner Michael Cranston – tried to access confidential information as the noose tightened on the players allegedly involved in a tax evasion fraud so big it is being labelled as one of the worst white-collar crimes in Australia’s history.
It will be alleged Mr Cranston’s son Adam, believed to be the mastermind of the deception as co-chair of financial services firm SYNEP, asked his father for help when he feared he was being audited.
Search warrants show Australian Federal Police investigators were looking at whether Poulakis and Burrows gained “unauthorised access to taxation records”.
If proven, the offence carries a two-year jail term. They have been stood down, but no charges have yet been laid.
Michael Cranston will appear in court, charged with abusing public office “with the intention of dishonestly gaining a benefit for” his son.
“We’re alleging he has publicly abused his position as a public officer and senior official of the Commonwealth,” AFP Deputy Commissioner Leanne Close said.
“We don’t believe that at this point that he had any knowledge of the actual conspiracy and the defrauding.
“It appears that his son has asked him to access some information potentially. We don’t believe at this point that he had any knowledge of the actually conspiracy.”
Other high-profile names were also dragged into the saga yesterday, with veteran TV journalist Steve Barrett reportedly involved in a blackmail attempt as part of the con, and Sevag Chalabian, former solicitor for corrupt politician Eddie Obeid, was also named, in court documents, in a list of people the accused are not allowed to speak to. Neither Barrett nor Chalabian has been charged. Adam appeared in Central Local Court yesterday via videolink from Sydney’s Surry Hills police station. He was granted bail of $300,000, surety guarantees from his grandmother Kath-
We’re alleging that he (Michael Cranston) has publicly abused his position as a ... senior official of the Commonwealth – Deputy Commissioner Leanne Close
leen and wife Elizabeth. His next appearance will be in August. His 24-year-old sister Lauren was also charged with conspiracy to defraud the ATO. One of her bail conditions was refraining from contact with her brother.
AFP Deputy Commissioner Close yesterday revealed the loot the syndicate had bought with the allegedly stolen money. It included 18 residential properties, 25 motor vehicles, luxury, vintage and racing vehicles, 12 motorbikes, more than 100 bank accounts and sharetrading accounts, two aircraft, firearms, jewellery, artwork, vintage wines and $1 million in a safety deposit box.
Investigators allege Sydney financial services firm SYNEP and Plutus Payrollwould allegedly funnel wage payments through a series of “second-tier” companies which paid only a fraction of the required income tax.