Melton Man Jailed for GST Fraud Totalling Over $250,000

A 29-year-old man from Melton has been sentenced to

18 months in prison

after attempting to defraud the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) of more than

$250,000

through fraudulent business activity statements.

The sentence, handed down by the

County Court of Victoria on 14 October 2025

, includes a

non-parole period of eight months

, with the remainder to be served under a

Recognisance Release Order

.

Here’s what happened — and why it matters.

How the Fraud Was Carried Out

The fraudulent activity began in

December 2022

, when the man submitted

false business activity statements (BAS)

for a business claiming to offer

handyman services

.

Over a

six-month period

, he received

GST refunds

from the ATO based on these false claims.

In addition to the money already obtained, the man also

attempted to claim a further $73,569

in GST refunds.

The Investigation

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) began investigating in response to the suspicious BAS lodgements.

On

6 March 2023

, AFP and

Victoria Police

executed a

search warrant

at a property in

Weir Views

, where they seized:

• A mobile phone

• A letter from the ATO relating to the fraudulent activity

The man was later

charged

and

pleaded guilty

on

1 May 2025

to two offences:

• One count of obtaining a financial advantage by deception, contrary to section 134.2 of the Criminal Code (Cth)

• One count of attempting to obtain a financial advantage by deception, also under section 134.2

He was also

ordered to repay $176,365

to the ATO.

Authorities Respond

AFP Detective Acting Inspector Yoran Wolfkamp said:

“Everyday Australians suffer when the taxation system is exploited and the revenue raised is not used to support the community and instead goes into the pockets of criminals.

This result is a warning to people who seek to exploit the taxation system — you may face terms of imprisonment if you engage in this behaviour.

The AFP is committed to combatting financial crimes and will work diligently with our partners in the Serious Financial Crime Taskforce to identify and prosecute those who seek to cheat the tax system.”

ATO Assistant Commissioner Jade Hawkins added:

“We know most people do the right thing, but those who deliberately cheat the system will be caught and will face severe consequences including jail sentences for serious offenders.

GST fraud is not a victimless crime — the ATO remains vigilant and committed to pursue those who seek to exploit the system and reduce the resources available for essential public services.”

Part of a Bigger Operation

This conviction forms part of

Operation Protego

, a coordinated effort by the ATO and its law enforcement partners to target large-scale GST fraud.

As of

30 September 2025

, Operation Protego has led to:

• 140 people convicted

• A range of sentencing outcomes, including prison terms of up to seven years and six months

• Real property restraint orders in several cases

The ATO works closely with the AFP and state law enforcement to address this type of criminal behaviour.

Suspect Something? Here’s What to Do

The ATO encourages the community to help protect the tax system. You can confidentially report suspected tax fraud or crime:

📞

Call:

1800 060 062

💻

Online:

Make a tip-off