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2009 media releases

Tax fraudster breached worker trust
3 December 2009

A Coromandel businesswoman has been sentenced to seven months home detention and 200 hours community work for cheating the tax system.

Georgie Jensen, from Thames, was sentenced today in the Waihi District Court after pleading guilty to 13 charges of non-payment of PAYE totalling $74,016.69 and other employee deduction offences.

"Jensen stole from her employees and personally benefited from it," said Inland Revenue Assurance Manager, Graham Pomeroy.

"Failure to meet PAYE obligations is a breach of trust between the director and the employees. But in Jensen's case, it wasn't just PAYE but also child support and student loan deductions."

The tax system in New Zealand is based on voluntary compliance, Mr Pomeroy said.

"When taxpayers act against this system, the community as a whole is cheated and the integrity of the tax system is compromised. The community is the true victim here."

As sole director and shareholder of NZ Rigging Services Limited, Jensen failed to meet her PAYE obligations from March 2008 to May 2009.

Jensen was also an employee of NZ Rigging Services and as such enjoyed the benefit of the $18,527.25 PAYE that had been deducted from her wages and not returned to Inland Revenue. Only $7,000 had been received in payment of PAYE deductions since the company was incorporated in 2007.

In sentencing, Judge Bidois said Jensen's actions were "premeditated and deliberate".

Reparation was not sought. Jensen is currently unemployed.

For further information:
Saskia van Rijn
(04) 890 1743
(029) 890 1743
saskia.vanrijn@ird.govt.nz

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Date published: 03 Dec 2009

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