Court names people arrested in ATO fraud case

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Most of the people arrested in a $2m tax fraud case have been named in court.

Investigations into alleged “large-scale deceptions against government agencies and financial institutions”, including the Australian Taxation Office, have been ongoing since 2022, culminating in this week’s arrests.

Following a joint investigation with the ATO, police allege there has been “widespread GST fraud where offenders invented fake businesses and submitted fictitious Business Activity Statements in an attempt to gain a false GST refund”.

The names of the 15 people who appeared yesterday in Atherton Magistrates Court are: Rebecca Joy Guilfoyle, Stevie-Lee Sommers, Sean John Phillip Townsley, Jasper Huddleston, Stephanie Rose Bender, Kylie Marie Weare, Alannah Louise Stumm, De’Anne Twynette Mount, Misti Anna Bowder-Brandt, Brian Timothy Carleton, Sondra Marie Clarke, Joseph Edmond Adams, Ben Mark Nicholls, Mark Joseph McAlpine and Debbie-Anne Carleton.

Those arrested were a 40-year-old Mareeba woman, a 47-year-old Mareeba man, a 41-year-old Atherton man, six Atherton women aged between 28 and 54, two Tolga women aged 37 and 49, a 47-year-old Wongabel woman, a 27-year-old Tarzali man, a 49-year-old Kairi woman, a 33-year-old Herberton man, a 48-year-old Normanton man, a 50-year-old Elimbah man, and a 54-year-old Mackay woman.

The charges include obtaining financial advantage by deception and attempting to obtain financial advantage by deception, while 34-year-old Atherton woman Ms Sommers was charged with dealing in proceeds of crime worth $100,000 or more.

All were scheduled to appear in Mareeba and Atherton Magistrates Courts on Monday, May 26, and Tuesday, May 27.

All the Atherton court cases were adjourned until Tuesday, July 22, except Mr McAlpine, who failed to appear so a warrant was issued for his arrest.

If you have information for police, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersqld.com.au.

 

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