2010 media releases
Man jailed for tax credit fraud
30 July 2010
A Bay of Plenty man who received nearly $15,000 in Working for Families tax credits he wasn't entitled to has been sentenced to five months jail.
Oryan Antonnio McLean was sentenced in the Opotiki District Court after earlier admitting four charges of tax evasion. He was also ordered to pay reparation.
Inland Revenue Investigations Manager Assurance, Jonathan Matthews, said McLean received money he knew he had no right to.
"Mr McLean knowingly cheated taxpayers out of thousands of dollars for his own personal gain and benefit over a long period, and now he's paying the price."
"Anyone else claiming this sort of assistance when they're not entitled to should realise we will catch up with them. So I would strongly advise them to come to us first," Mr Matthews said.
McLean had received Working for Families tax credits from October 2005 to November 2010, based on information that he was the primary caregiver for a younger brother.
McLean received contact from Inland Revenue on several occasions during that period which offered him the opportunity to advise any change of circumstances. However, he failed to do so despite being required to.
It was subsequently discovered from information from Customs that the brother had left McLean's care in November 2006. He was notified by letter on 2 November 2009 that Inland Revenue had started an audit into the entitlement to WFF tax credits. On 23 November 2009 he phoned Inland Revenue's call centre asking for his entitlement to be stopped, saying he no longer had a child in his care.
For the years ended 2007 to 2010, McLean received payments of $14,898, which he wasn't entitled to, and has been ordered to repay the full amount.
For further information:
Catherine Delore
(04) 890 1698
(029) 890 1698
catherine.delore@ird.govt.nz
Other media releases this year
- Greymouth taxpayers concerned about provisional tax and GST urged to contact Inland Revenue
- Inland Revenue announces changes to service delivery
- Revenue Alert on "cloud computing" and tax records
- Greymouth people and businesses encouraged to seek help
- More tax statistics available online
- Busy online trading prompts tax reminder
- Tax offender used new identity to obtain GST refunds
- Inland Revenue wins Government category in 2010 Open Source Awards
- Care urged over property GST claims
- Unclaimed millions list updated
- More than two years jail for Auckland accountant
- Student gets five months home detention for GST fraud
- Canterbury businesses reminded to ask for help
- Inland Revenue recognised twice in 2010 Māori Language Awards
- Builder gets community service for tax evasion
- Home detention for tax agent
- Repayment holiday ends for overseas borrowers
- Routine traffic check ends tax evasion
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- Home detention for tax evasion
- Contractor jailed for tax evasion
- Inland Revenue wins 2010 NetGuide Award
- Renting out your home - tax obligations
- Hoax email warning
- Home detention for tax scammer
- Getting Your Tax Right - Compliance Focus 2010-11
- Last chance to change tax policy
- Company director fined for tax evasion
- Inland Revenue sets sights on undeclared offshore income
- Hoax email warning issued
- Company director jailed for tax evasion
- Revenue Alert on diverting personal income released
- Tax online gets even easier
- Plasterer sentenced for tax offences
- Takeaway owner gets home detention for tax evasion
- Tax return date getting close
- GST fraud brings home detention
- Advice over GST rate change
- GST fraudster jailed
- Property developer jailed for tax evasion
- Warning over hoax email
- Orewa College student wins Inland Revenue award
- Donations tax cheat receives home detention
- Tax information at your fingertips
- Sentence a warning for food industry
- Options available for end-of-year tax payments
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 Jul 2010
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