Yahoo Finance ATO fines man $640k for dodgy tax returns
A man has been fined a whopping $640,000 and sentenced to more than seven months’ jail, after the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) found out he was lodging dodgy tax returns.
Brisbane man, Kent Scott Hacker, was fined for multiple breaches of the Tax Agent Services Act, after an ATO investigation revealed he was providing unregistered tax agent services.
The ATO raided Hacker’s business, One Stop Global Staffing, in November 2018, uncovering evidence that Hacker had been preparing and lodging tax returns for thousands of taxpayers while unregistered with the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB).
The Federal Court of Australia also granted the TPB’s request for an injunction to stop Hacker and his related companies from providing unregistered services, and Hacker was restrained from providing BAS services while unregistered.
It comes after a “protracted” investigation, during which Hacker continued to act illegally despite giving an undertaking to the court to provide services.
He also failed to display notices at his business, warning taxpayers of the risks of using his services.
“The TPB will act firmly against those that act outside the law and supports the imposition of the penalties handed down to Mr Hacker and his associated companies,” TPB chair Ian Klug said.
“For nearly two years, Mr Hacker has brazenly and consistently ignored court orders and his behaviour has put his clients at risk and undermined the integrity of the taxation system.
“The sentencing, fines of over $640,000 and the imprisonment of Mr Hacker, sends a strong message to other rogue advisers and the community that illegal acts of this nature will not be tolerated.”
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