Tax agent charged with falsifying returns, pocketing funds

Tax agent charged with pocketing funds from falsified tax returns

By Sophie Boot

Nov. 17 (BusinessDesk) - A former tax agent who allegedly falsified 250 GST and income tax returns in order to keep client money has been charged with 18 counts of fraud.

Michael Robert McDonald, 40, appeared in the Manukau District Court today on four charges of theft by a person in a special relationship, 13 charges of dishonestly using a document, and one charge of false accounting.

The Serious Fraud Office, which laid the charges, alleges between 2007 and 2013 McDonald took money from clients to pay their taxes but kept it himself. The SFO also alleges McDonald filed 250 false GST and income tax returns, and made false entries in one client's financial statements in an attempt to hide his alleged theft.

"The misuse of money entrusted to professional advisers breaches professional standards and undermines the confidence of the community," SFO director Julie Read said. "New Zealanders need to rely on experts when dealing with complex financial matters and it is critical that such professionals demonstrate that they are worthy of the trust placed in them."

McDonald was remanded on bail without plea. His next appearance is set down for Dec.11.

(BusinessDesk)

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