Syndicate recruited finance experts to scam $17 million from ATO, AFP alleges

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Federal police will allege banking and finance workers were recruited for their 'expertise' in a $17 million tax evasion scam, with construction industry figure George Alex allegedly leading the syndicate.

A criminal syndicate recruited banking and finance experts to help it scam more than $17 million from the Australian Tax Office, federal police will allege.The alleged syndicate was described as a complex, multinational operationConstruction identity George Alex, 49, is accused of leading the syndicate and allegedly recruited finance industry specialists to set up the sophisticated money-laundering operation.

"This syndicate specifically included a mix of financial industry experts to provide the level of expertise required to commit the fraud and keep it ongoing," she said.AFP officers arrested 12 people yesterday during coordinated raids on 10 properties across Sydney, the Gold Coast and the ACT. Investigators will allege in court that employee and contractor wages, superannuation and insurance were all correctly paid but the money allocated to be paid to the ATO for tax obligations was diverted and allegedly laundered.The AFP will allege that when these payroll companies accrued a substantial tax debt they would be "phoenixed" or abandoned, and a new company would be created in its place.

"But once you peel back the layers you discover a web of well-organised, syndicated activity like phoenixing," she said."Some people may think that non-compliance with tax obligations is a victimless crime but it couldn't be further from the truth — the whole community is impacted by this behaviour."

 

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Big fkn deal,why don't yous go after the big corporations that pay no tax year after year have cost this country billions.

And the Syndicate’s secret name is LNP.

Is it even worth doing the right thing in Australia anymore the only ones that seem to be doing well is the organized crime groups. Does anyone know if this guy was donating any money to any political parties?

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