THE DIRECTOR of a Queensland-based cattle buying business has been jailed for fraud.
Anthony Lee, director of a cattle purchasing and exporting business, Agri Beef Cattle Company Pty Ltd, and the director of a business that administered the exports, HQB Exporters Pty Ltd, was sentenced to five years and 10 months jail for tax fraud dating back to 2014.
It was found Mr Lee, now a New Zealand resident, claimed more than $820,000 in fraudulent Goods and Services Tax (GST) refund claims he made in Business Activity Statements (BAS) lodged for the two separate companies.
Mr Lee was also ordered to repay the money he fraudulently claimed.
As the director of Agri Beef Cattle Company Pty Ltd, Mr Lee lodged five BAS statements in which he fraudulently claimed $735,049 in GST refunds and attempted to obtain a further $185,235. He also provided false statements to the ATO to substantiate his fictitious expense claims.
As a director of HQB Exporters Pty Ltd, Mr Lee lodged a BAS statement in which he fraudulently claimed $85,259 in GST refunds. He had overstated the business expense claims and did not provide any tax invoices to substantiate the claim.