A property developer is facing seven years in jail for tax fraud, after being proven of claiming over $1.1m GST refunds for three fake businesses on the Gold Coast.
                                                                                                                     
Marius Anton Ackerman pleaded guilty in the Brisbane District Court. He admitted to 56 counts of obtaining a financial advantage by deception, as well as nine counts of attempting to do so from 2008 to 2010.
 
The 45-year-old created false claims for GST refunds by setting up three separate businesses with his wife as the sole director, said Commonwealth prosecutor Neville Weston.
 
He also used three different accounting firms to file 65 separate monthly business activity statements for the three companies without any proper basis to do so.
 
“A consummate fraudster is a dangerous person in the community,” Judge Brian Devereaux said, noting that Ackerman claimed $1,174,325.60 over the two years and some $1,104,565.40 was paid to him.
 
He even attempted to claim $69,838 more but was unsuccessful.
 
Ackerman was said to have spent the hefty amount to sustain a lifestyle at a $1.3m property near Tamborine Mountain. 
 

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