A 33-year-old Sydney man has been served a court attendance notice to face a charge of conspiring to defraud the Commonwealth, for his alleged role in the Plutus Payroll fraud being investigated under Operation Elbrus.
Operation Elbrus commenced in 2016 and was an investigation by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) into a large-scale and organised tax fraud conspiracy, conducted within the Serious Financial Crimes Taskforce.
It is alleged a criminal syndicate used payroll services companies to divert pay-as-you-go withholding (PAYGW) tax and goods and services tax (GST) owed to the ATO, defrauding the Commonwealth of more than $105 million over three years.
AFP officers attended the man's Caringbah home on Thursday, 16 April and served a court attendance notice, relating to his alleged role in the tax fraud conspiracy uncovered during the investigation.
Police allege the man was involved in the 'back office' of the Plutus Payroll fraud conspiracy, processing payroll and withholding or underpaying taxes.
The man is scheduled to first appear before Downing Centre Local Court on 4 August 2020, where he will face one charge of conspiring with other persons with the intention of causing a loss to the Commonwealth, between about 1 March 2014 and 18 May 2017, contrary to section 135.4(3) of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
This offence carries a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment.
