A Victorian woman has been sentenced to four years behind bars after claiming almost $600,000 in dodgy GST refunds, and attempting to pocket a further $260,000 before being caught by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).
Tahra Wyntjes was on Wednesday sentenced to four years imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 2 years and 4 months, after submitting 27 fraudulent business activity statements lodged between November 21 and March 2022.
The sentencing is just the latest outcome of Operation Protego, an ATO-led taskforce launched to combat a tidal wave of GST fraud that has cost taxpayers $2 billion.
The ATO states Wyntjes registered an Australian Business Number (ABN) and applied for GST in relation to a residential cleaning business, which was used as a platform for false refund claims.
The tax office claims multiple attempts to contact Wyntjes about the suspicious refund claims went unanswered, leading it to refer the matter to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
In total, Wyntjes received $599,349 in fraudulent GST refunds, and attempted to secure an additional $259,976 before the refunds were intercepted by ATO staff.
In a statement, ATO acting deputy commissioner Jade Hawkins issued a warning to others thinking about establishing a “fake business” to defraud the public.
“Our message remains clear. If you don’t run a business, you don’t need an ABN and you can’t claim GST refunds. This is fraud.”
The sentencing is the latest real-world outcome of Operation Protego and the ATO’s ongoing efforts to halt the GST fraud, which was popularised in brazen TikTok videos.
As of September 30 this year, the ATO has identified a stunning 57,000 alleged offenders, leading to 104 arrests, 59 convictions, and $300 million in penalties and interest handed down.
In August last year, an investigation launched by Operation Protego resulted in the sentencing of a Victorian man to 7 years and 6 months imprisonment after obtaining $830,000 in dodgy GST refunds.
Others have been handed prison sentences, community corrective orders, and orders to repay the full amount defrauded.
The ATO says it has finalised 60 investigations, with 51 briefs of evidence handed to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The tax office cannot comment on ongoing operational matters, citing its obligations of confidentiality and privacy under the law.
But in a statement, an ATO spokesperson told SmartCompany the legacy of Operation Protego and the crackdown on GST fraud is far from over.
“The ATO has undertaken record levels of compliance actions and significantly strengthened our controls,” they said.
“For example, we have strengthened upfront ABN and tax role registration controls to assist in preventing the registration of ineligible businesses, with our strategies driving a continuous reduction in these GST fraud attempts.”
The tax office “continues to hold to account those people who chose to get involved in the refund fraud activity targeted by Operation Protego, implementing a range of appropriate consequences including investigations, audits, recovery action and penalties to protect public funds,” they added.
Through the ATO-led Serious Financial Crime Taskforce, with assistance from Australian law enforcement agencies, the tax office intends to take “strong action” against those still involved in GST fraud.
Never miss a story: sign up to SmartCompany’s free daily newsletter and find our best stories on LinkedIn.
Senior Business Journalist
Focused on the small business sector, David’s work covers the political, regulatory, and economic issues facing Australian entrepreneurs. Prior to joining SmartCompany, he was a reporter for Business Insider Australia. You can follow him on LinkedIn.
