2005 media releases
Hamilton man sentenced on tax fraud
5 September 2005
A 59-year-old Hamilton man and the company he controls were today sentenced in Hamilton District Court to a total of $15,000 on 32 tax evasion charges, involving over $190,000 of undeclared income. Tax, fines and penalties are also still payable on the undeclared income.
Sachind Lal is a director of Sesh Enteprises Ltd which trades as the Manhatten Superette in Hamilton East. Sesh Enterprises was also prosecuted on 32 charges of filing false Goods and Services Tax (GST) or Income Tax returns over eight years. During this period, undeclared cash from shop sales was diverted to personal bank accounts, to repay loans and to the company credit card for purchases made by the company.
The accumulated illicit funds were then used to build up a significant property portfolio for Sachind Lal's family.
"These were serious offences, with undeclared income siphoned from the business for personal use over several years," says Inland Revenue's Hamilton Service Centre Manager Kevin Moody.
The Court heard that, when the defendant had left his teaching career to become a director of Sesh Enterprises, the business had received extensive advice from Inland Revenue on tax compliance issues, including implementing appropriate business systems and accounting for GST.
Inland Revenue started an investigation into the company and its directors in 2004, at which time Sachind Lal admitted the offences.
"Tax fraud makes it harder for honest businesses to compete on an equal footing. Today's sentence reflects the seriousness with which this is regarded by the Courts," says Mr Moody.
He encourages people who haven't been meeting their tax obligations to get their affairs in order by contacting Inland Revenue as early as possible. "There are penalties for unpaid tax, but these can be reduced significantly through talking to us at the earliest opportunity."
Other media releases this year
- Tip-off leads to jail sentence for dishonest tax agent
- Family assistance payments to be available early
- Inland Revenue releases new tax rules for people who host boarders
- GST fraud gets jail sentence for Auckland property developer
- Inland Revenue seeks owners of forgotten money
- Family Assistance Payments to be made early
- High Wealth programme brings in millions of extra tax dollars
- Identity theft, fraud lead to jail for Palmerston North man
- Reimbursement for the use of a private motor vehicle
- Auckland consultant gets 12 months in jail for GST fraud
- Inland Revenue signs Hewlett Packard to supply Notebook Computers
- Tauranga man jailed for horticultural tax evasion
- New Zealand and Australian tax help for business
- Salary and wage earners: are you entitled to a tax refund?
- Some seasonal workers entitled to tax refunds
- Auckland barrister jailed for tax evasion
- Inland Revenue reminding Marlborough agriculturalists
- Inland Revenue Appoints Chief Information Officer (IT)
- Incident at Upper Hutt Processing Centre
- Forged GST claim leads to eight-month prison sentence
- Inland Revenue offers help to flood affected BOP businesses
- Auckland Man jailed for tax fraud
- Inland Revenue releases view on HHG capital reduction proposals
- Prison sentence for tax evasion
- Early Family Assistance Payments
- Nine years of tax evasion brings 18 month sentence for New Plymouth bricklayer
- Tax season now underway
- Are you eligible for a childcare rebate?
- Early Family Assistance Payments
- Inland Revenue signs agreement with TelstraClear
- Inland Revenue cautions against income splitting by professionals
- Inland Revenue welcomes sentence for Hamilton PAYE offence
- Cambridge students scoop national award for tax knowledge
- US, NZ agree on tax treatment of fiscally transparent entities
- 7 February payment deadline
- Theft of Westpac courier bag - advice to taxpayers and other Inland Revenue customers
- Inland Revenue not letting up on BoP tax evasion
- Inland Revenue outlines rebate claim process for tsunami donations
- Inland Revenue welcomes sentence in $40,000 evasion case
Corporate Affairs
Inland Revenue
To make a media query:
Phone 04 890 1698 or email mediaqueries@ird.govt.nz
Please note, the email address is only for enquiries from the news media. It is monitored during normal business hours 8am - 5pm Monday to Friday.
P O Box 2198
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
Date published: 05 Sep 2005
Back to top