2009 media releases
Property developer sentenced for GST fraud
30 June 2009
A Paraparaumu property developer has received 12 months home detention for GST fraud of over $200,000.
Gary Adrian Koornneef was sentenced yesterday in the Wellington District Court after earlier being found guilty on eight charges of tax evasion.
Over the period from September 2002 to September 2005, Koornneef sold eight properties, but failed to pay the GST to Inland Revenue.
Inland Revenue Manager Assurance, Investigations, Richard Philp, said the sentence should remind people the courts take GST fraud seriously.
"Taxes help pay for important services like schools, hospitals, and policing. If people don't pay the tax they should, then it is the whole community that is missing out."
Koornneef is the sole director of Advantage Construction and Consultancy Limited ("Advantage").
In June 2001, Advantage bought a property in Aro Valley, Wellington. The property was subdivided and three townhouses were built. All of the townhouses were sold, but Advantage did not include the sales in its GST returns.
In July 2002, Advantage bought a property in Strathmore, Wellington and carried out another subdivision. Five properties were sold, but Advantage did not pay the GST to Inland Revenue. In four of the cases, no returns were filed, and in the fifth case, Advantage filed a false "Nil" return.
Koornneef told Inland Revenue he was aware he had to pay GST on the property sales. He admitted he used the money to repay debts instead.
The total GST evaded was $233,500.01. Koornneef was ordered to repay this amount.
For further information:
Catherine Delore
(04) 890 1698
(029) 890 1698
catherine.delore@ird.govt.nz
Other media releases this year
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- Inland Revenue warns of party plan pitfalls
- Tax fraudster breached worker trust
- High wealth individuals pay an extra $81 million
- Residential rental property and depreciable items
- Lower Hutt man sentenced for tax evasion
- Two jailed for multi-million dollar tax fraud
- High Court ruling on Westpac case
- Christchurch man jailed for GST fraud
- Tsunami donations tax credits
- Former Queenstown man jailed on tax evasion charges
- Jail for $5 million tax fraud
- Tiler jailed for $1.6 million tax evasion
- Online service makes tax refunds easier
- Inland Revenue welcomes High Court decision
- Auckland property consultant jailed for tax fraud
- Te Kuiti accountant jailed for 12 months for tax evasion
- Wellington man sentenced for tax fraud
- Man jailed for GST fraud
- Helping you get it right
- Last day for tax returns fast approaching
- Auckland man sentenced on GST fraud charges
- GST fraudster convicted again
- New Plymouth woman jailed for fraud
- Christchurch man sentenced on tax offences
- Extradited tax fraudster sentenced to home detention
- Jail for multimillion dollar tax fraud
- Thousands of people eligible for unclaimed millions
- Inland Revenue appeals High Court decision
- Inland Revenue considers voluntary redundancies
- Talk to us, says Commissioner of Inland Revenue
- Apply now for the provisional tax ratio option
- Keep IRD numbers confidential
- Wellington accountant sentenced on tax fraud charges
- Avoid unexpected GST bills on apartment sales
- Nelson man jailed for tax evasion
- Stay informed about KiwiSaver changes
- Tax payment date fast approaching
- Former tax agent employee sentenced for fraud
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: 30 Jun 2009
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