Jail term for COVID assistance fraud

A former Warragul accountant has been sentenced to prison for fraudulently acquiring $329,000 through the Victorian Government’s COVID-19 Business Costs Assistance Program.

Benjamin Dennis, 38, pleaded guilty at Latrobe Valley County Court to charges relating to obtaining funds after submitting 53 applications on behalf of businesses he claimed to represent as an accountant.

He was sentenced to one year imprisonment and an 18-month community corrections order to be undertaken on release.

The $329,000 has not been recovered. Judge Richard Maidment said Mr Dennis submitted the 53 applications in 2021 on behalf of trust entities that represented businesses he claimed to represent.

“In truth, each applicant was not a functioning business entity and the related trusts, on whose behalf you purported to act, were fabrications,” Judge Maidment said.

During sentencing, Mr Dennis’ offending was labelled “relatively unsophisticated” and it was said that a “substantial” trail of evidence

BLUE was left in the making of the fraudulent applications.

The court heard at the time the offending occurred Mr Dennis was experiencing both personal and financial pressure.

Other considerations were also made, including Mr Dennis’ lack of criminal history, his responsibilities as a father to four children, and his “excellent prospects of rehabilitation.”

Judge Maidment said he accepted Mr Dennis was “remorseful” for his offending, and said he had made “full admission” to his conduct when arrested in April 2022.

Once released from prison, Mr Dennis will begin his community corrections order, which includes 200 hours of unpaid community work and supervision.

As a result of the conviction, he will not be able to return to work as an accountant.