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A 27-year-old Crestmead chef was convicted in the Brisbane Magistrates Court for fraudulently claiming travel and clothing expenses as work-related deductions.
Helen Feulufai was convicted of false statements in her income tax returns when she claimed refunds over three years amounting to more than $45,000 from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).
In addition to repaying the refunds, Ms Feulufai was ordered to pay a fine of $3,000 as well as an additional $20,000 payment to the Taxation Commissioner and court costs.
According to the Tax Office, Ms Feulufai also attempted to claim charitable donations to an organisation not registered as a deductible gift recipient (DGR). Based on the information provided in her return, she claimed a tax refund of $16,970 in the 2016 financial year, $14,417 in the 2017 financial year and $13,691 in the 2018 financial year.
The ATO explained that Ms Feulufai had undergone two previous audits in 2012 and 2014, for attempting to claim similar deductions.
“This case also serves as an important reminder that you must be able to provide valid deductable expenses in your income tax return – including travel and clothing expenses as well as any charitable donations,” said assistant commissioner Peter Vujanic.
“Even if you lodge through a tax agent your claims must be legitimate and you must be able to justify them if asked to by the ATO. If you intend to push the boundaries, or perhaps fudge some parts of your return, the ATO has you in its sights.”
The ATO disclosed that in 2018, over 3.6 million people made a work-related car expense claim totalling more than $7.2 billion. In addition, around 6 million people claimed work-related clothing and laundry expenses totalling nearly $1.5 billion.