MEDIA RELEASE

6 June 2008

Tax fraud results in jail term

The musical director of the Nelson Symphony Orchestra has been jailed for four years after being found guilty of nine charges of dishonestly using documents to fraudulently obtain tax refunds.

A jury trial in the Nelson District Court resulted in the custodial sentence for David John Lindup, who obtained GST refunds through a company incorporated in December 2003.

Lindup is the sole shareholder and director of Lindup Holdings Limited. This company claimed GST refunds relating to the purchase of various stringed musical instrumentals (violins, violas and bows).

The refunds received by Lindup amounted to $866,773.82, none of which has been repaid.

The company did not, however, purchase any musical instruments and, accordingly, was not entitled to any of these refunds.

To support the company’s fraudulent claims, and in an attempt to deceive Inland Revenue officers, Lindup provided a large number of fabricated documents. These included five supply agreements, nineteen tax invoices, four import certificates, five bank statements and other false documents such as spreadsheets and summaries of business activities.

Inland Revenue Assurance Manager, Richard Philp, said that this offending was a clear example of a dishonest person falsifying the books and increasing his personal wealth at the expense of honest taxpayers.

“This was a case of Lindup conducting a deliberate fraud that clearly involved a high level of deception.”

“This case will anger honest taxpayers. Taxes fund schools, hospitals, roads and other community resources. People who rip off the system are stealing from the community.”

Mr Philp said the sentence reflected the importance of the integrity of the system Lindup set out to deceive. "It shows the consequences of being found out and sends a strong message that fraudsters will be caught and punished."

ENDS

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