A man from Victoria who accumulated $2.4 million through fraudulent GST refunds has been sentenced to over four years in prison after spending the money on luxurious living and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
This month, the County Court of Victoria sentenced Kristopher Andree-Jansz to four years and seven months of imprisonment, with a non-parole period set at two years and seven months for his role in the GST fraud scheme.
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) initiated the investigation following an audit of GST refunds Andree-Jansz submitted from March 2021 to February 2022.
After registering for an ABN and portraying himself as a sole trader, he submitted over 30 Business Activity Statements (BAS) falsely claiming his plumbing business had made purchases totaling $30 million.
The audit revealed that Andree-Jansz had received $2.4 million in improper GST refunds and attempted to claim an additional $300,000.
The ATO found no evidence of any business activities “consistent with operating a plumbing business.”
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According to the tax office, Andree-Jansz misused the GST funds for “various lifestyle items, luxurious accommodations, and a Harley Davidson motorcycle.”
The ATO forwarded the case to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, which took on the prosecution.
He faced 24 charges for obtaining a financial advantage through deception, and an additional three counts for attempting to dishonestly acquire a financial advantage.
In addition to his prison sentence, Andree-Jansz was ordered to repay $2,402,258.
“This debt is unavoidable; the individual will now have a financial obligation and interest will continue to accrue,” stated the ATO in a public announcement.
“Any refunds will be immediately deducted to offset the debt.”
This sentencing marks the latest significant outcome from Operation Protego, a task force led by the ATO to combat GST fraud.
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This fraud scheme—exploited on social media platforms like TikTok—resulted in at least $2 billion being drained from public funds.
The tax office successfully thwarted an additional $2.7 billion in suspected GST fraud.
As of February 28, the ATO reported arresting 108 individuals linked to Operation Protego, with 98 convictions secured.
Among those convicted is a woman from Victoria who was sentenced last year to four years in prison for fraudulently claiming nearly $600,000 in GST refunds.
In response to the widespread fraud, the ATO promised last February to implement internal reforms as recommended by the Australian National Audit Office.
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