A construction leader in Sydney, along with four accomplices, has been convicted of conspiring to defraud the Australian tax office of over $10 million over a two-year period.
George Alex, 53, is facing a significant prison sentence for his involvement in a scheme with four co-defendants to misappropriate funds from the tax office. A jury from the NSW Supreme Court delivered their verdicts on Tuesday, bringing to a close a lengthy tax fraud trial that began in February.
The other convicted individuals include Pasquale Loccisano, 54, Lindsay John Kirschberg, 65, Gordon McAndrew, 62, and Mark Ronald Bryers, 66. All five were found guilty of conspiring to cause a dishonest loss to the Commonwealth and dealing with proceeds of crime exceeding $1 million.
The group employed various second-tier “shield” companies to conceal over $10 million in pay-as-you-go (PAYG) tax from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) between 2018 and 2020. In the latter half of 2018 and well into 2019, they deducted approximately $125,000 per week but failed to remit this to the ATO. Smaller deductions continued into 2020 as the construction business faced declining profitability.
McAndrew, who served as the general manager of the firm’s Queensland office, and Kirschberg issued payments to workers without remitting the corresponding PAYG taxes, acting on Alex’s instructions. Loccisano functioned as a messenger, facilitating communication between Alex and the other conspirators.
Alex’s son, Arthur, 26, was acquitted of conspiracy charges related to causing a loss and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
The jury deliberated for 17 days following 64 days of evidence and submissions. Sentencing for the five convicted individuals will take place at a later date.
