William Ricco Solomon appeared in the Auckland District Court on 19 June after trying to get seven GST refunds that he was not entitled to.
Solomon registered as a sole trader and received a New Zealand Business Number (NZBN). He further registered for GST in September 2020 and started monthly filing.
Between November 2023 and May 2024 Solomon submitted GST returns through two myIR accounts, trying to get $247,665.48. No money was released to him.
Inland Revenue’s systems show Solomon amended figures multiple times in some returns and assessed how this would impact the refund amount before finalising the return.
Inland Revenue began an audit in March 2024. Bank statements were obtained which showed no evidence of any business activity and/or deposits and withdrawals that matched the amounts submitted in the GST returns.
Some documents provided as evidence of business activity were fake and two traders named by Solomon in the fake documents said they never traded with him.
Judge Retzlaff’s starting point was 17 months in prison. After discounts for Solomon’s guilty plea, time spent in custody and personal circumstances, an end point of 11 months’ imprisonment was reached.