2008 media releases
Accountant jailed for defrauding clients and Inland Revenue
29 August 2008
An accountant who stole from clients and defrauded Inland Revenue has been jailed today by the Wellington District Court for four years and two months.
Glen Francis Erkkila, of Wellington, pleaded guilty to 54 charges of using documents dishonestly with intent to obtain a pecuniary advantage, and four counts of theft by a person in a special relationship.
The offending amounted to more than $635,000, with $463,000 not recovered.
Erkkila used a number of methods to obtain money dishonestly through his Lower Hutt and Wairarapa accounting business, Intrepid Bookkeeping (later Intrepid Taxation Consultants).
These included submitting false loan applications to a finance company, totalling almost $600,000, and providing false GST returns to Inland Revenue.
Erkkila also stole more than $24,000 from clients, either by failing to pass on tax refunds or by not forwarding money intended for Inland Revenue.
Erkkila was prosecuted by the Crown on behalf of both Inland Revenue and the Serious Fraud Office.
Group Manager Assurance, Martin Scott, said he was satisfied with the sentence.
"This is a particularly serious type of offence," he said.
"Erkkila abused a position of trust, and took advantage of clients who were trying to meet their tax obligations. He has done his clients and his profession a grave disservice."
END
For further information:
Catherine Delore
04 890 1743
029 890 1743
Catherine.Delore@ird.govt.nz
Other media releases this year
- Accountant sentenced for tax evasion
- Invercargill accountant jailed for tax evasion
- Dairy owner sentenced for hiding half a million
- Tauranga court jails man for tax evasion
- Most Working for Families recipients not charged interest for overpayments
- Former Kaikohe farm manager jailed for tax evasion
- Auckland plasterer jailed for tax evasion
- New callback service rolled out across Call Centre
- Former employee sentenced
- KiwiSaver report released
- Inland Revenue expands e-services
- Do-it-yourself tax refunds
- Employers reminded about new tax rates
- Former Inland Revenue employee pleads guilty to corruption
- Sentencing strong message for contractors
- Inland Revenue pilots callback system to help customers
- Inland Revenue proposes changes to company tax return
- Agricultural contractor sentenced
- Jail for horticultural student
- Tax fraud results in jail term
- Thousands apply for student loan amnesty
- Early Working for Families Tax Credits payments
- Inland Revenue wins People's Choice NetGuide web award for second time
- Waikato couple sentenced for tax evasion
- Inland Revenue warns about income diversion
- Report of investigation of an error in tax revenue numbers
- Tax credits for people made redundant
- R&D tax credit goes live
- Student Loan amnesty - last chance to apply
- Revised financial statements
- Tax advice for investors in failed finance companies
- Tax advice for property investors
- Provisional tax gets easier
- Early Working for Families Tax Credits payments
- IRD numbers about to get longer
- Tax authorities work together to stop international tax evasion
- Inland Revenue helps drought-affected farmers
- IRD numbers available at NZ Post and AA
- Inland Revenue warns against divulging personal details
- Second jail term for major tax scam
- Welcome surprise for owners of forgotten money
- End-of-year tax date fast approaching
- Time running out for student loan amnesty
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: 03 Sep 2008
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