Farmer Donned Disguise In $500,000 Tax Fraud, Court Told
Sydney Morning Herald
Thursday April 5, 2001
A Cooma sheep farmer has been charged with cheating the tax system of more than $500,000, in the first major case of GST fraud.
Following a three-month investigation by the Tax Office and the Australian Federal Police, David Charles Delhunty, a 49-year-old grazier and property developer, was arrested on Tuesday and accused of using false identities to set up bank accounts for fictitious businesses.
In a bail hearing in Queanbeyan Local Court yesterday, it was alleged that Delhunty used at least 27 fake businesses to claim GST payments back from the Tax Office.
To make the claim, Delhunty allegedly used the tax file numbers of legitimate taxpayers to register for the GST and obtain an Australian Business Number.
Businesses can claim back the GST they pay on the cost of their inputs only if they have an ABN.
In a statement of facts, the Tax Office alleged that Delhunty submitted business activity statements to claim back $505,561 in GST which was then paid into bank accounts he had opened under false names.
The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, represented by Mr John White, said the investigation was expected to show the size of the fraud was much bigger.
``His car was searched and a considerable quantity of documents relating to the frauds with which he's been charged and possibly other frauds was retrieved," Mr White said.
The Tax Office and the AFP, which tracked Delhunty, allege that he visited post office boxes and ATMs in Sydney, Newcastle, Dubbo, Wellington, Orange, Moloney, Blayney, Boorowa, and Canberra while wearing a disguise. Registrar Matthew Houston denied bail.
© 2001 Sydney Morning Herald
