2005 media releases

Identity theft, fraud lead to jail for Palmerston North man
27 September 2005

A 36-year-old man was today sentenced at Palmerston North District Court to three years and nine months in prison, for fraudulently obtaining nearly $365,000 from Inland Revenue, using multiple instances of identity theft.

Sione Peau Tuimana, a Tongan with permanent New Zealand residency, had earlier pleaded guilty to 65 charges of using a document with intent to defraud. He used other people's IRD numbers without their knowledge to claim rebates and family assistance to which they were not entitled.

The Court heard that Mr Tuimana operated as an immigration consultant, helping clients with applications for tourist visas, residency permits and other immigration-related matters - both in New Zealand and Tonga. His work gave him access to clients' birth certificates and family details. He filed forged rebate claim forms, income tax returns and family assistance claims with Inland Revenue.

In sentencing Mr Tuimana, Judge Dawson commented on the abuse of trust the offending represented, with many of those affected being family or friends of the defendant.

"Identity fraud is a serious issue faced by enforcement agencies worldwide," said Inland Revenue Manukau Service Centre Manager Loraine Elliott. "In this case, more than 30 identities were used, including those of family members, representing a serious breach of trust. These abuses were picked up by Inland Revenue's systems and processes in an investigation by our staff."

Inland Revenue has specialist staff working on uncovering fraud and tax evasion, said Loraine Elliott. "People who deliberately flout the law are a small minority. We continue to take a firm approach with this group in fairness to the majority who do the right thing.

"The prison sentence is a strong reminder that the courts take this type of offending seriously."

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
• Reimbursement for the use of a private motor vehicle
• Hamilton man sentenced on tax fraud
• 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

more media releases ›

Corporate Affairs
Inland Revenue

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Date published: 27 Sep 2005

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