At least 150 Australian Taxation Office officials have been investigated as part of a GST fraud crackdown, resulting in 'employment terminations and criminal proceedings', according to a new report from Australia's auditor-general.
At least 150 Australian Taxation Office officials have been investigated as part of a GST fraud crackdown, resulting in "employment terminations and criminal proceedings", according to a new report from Australia's auditor-general.
It involved people acquiring an Australian Business Number for a sham business and using MyGov to submit false business activity statements to receive GST refunds. The ATO established two senior executive-level committees in May 2022 to look at the issue and found that many of those engaged in the scheme were government welfare recipients.
The ATO only confirmed that "as of October 2023, 150 ATO officials suspected of Operation Protego behaviours have been investigated using the ATO's standard internal fraud procedures". "We have taken action against the small number of those who were substantiated as having committed the fraud while working at the ATO. This includes termination of contract, administrative action, and criminal prosecutions.
The report said the ATO estimates there have been more than 57,000 perpetrators of GST fraud, costing at least $2 billion."The total primary liabilities raised since the commencement of Operation Protego in mid-April 2022 to 30 June 2023 is $2 billion, with $2.7 billion in suspect GST refunds stopped prior to payment," the report said.