The first criminal conviction has been handed down by the Heidelberg Magistrates Court on three counts of making a false and misleading statement to the Commissioner of Taxation, in order to receive $6,000 in JobKeeper payments to which Raed Saleh was not entitled to.
The ATO understands how vital the JobKeeper payment is to the community. As at 16 February 2021, $84 billion in JobKeeper payments have been made by the ATO to over 1 million businesses.
But with this in mind, the ATO are taking a strong stand on those that have tried to profit unfairly which ends up being at the expense of the wider community.
Mr Saleh had made two JobKeeper claims online for May and June, making false declarations on his employment eligibility and that he was running a business. He received the May payment of $3000 but ATO stopped the June payment. As a result of this, Mr Saleh was convicted, fined $3,000 and ordered to pay reparations of $3,000 and costs of $282.
For the full story, please go to https://www.ato.gov.au/Media-centre/Media-releases/First-criminal-conviction-for-JobKeeper-fraud/
ATO compliance is something we at Fortis take very seriously and we make every effort to ensure that our clients receive accurate advice. Each client’s situation is assessed on its own merits to ensure they are compliant with all ATO requirements. If you have any concerns or questions regarding your situation, please contact John Kalachian or Henry Zhao at Fortis Accounting Partners
