An Auckland sales manager who failed to pay tax and dishonestly claimed refunds has been sentenced to three years in prison.
Paul Thomas Staples was sentenced in Auckland District Court today on a range of tax offences, relating to three different companies. The offences, totalling $328,740, occurred between September 2008 and August 2011.
The Inland Revenue Department's group manager investigations and advice, Tony Morris, said Staples was aware of his tax obligations but deliberately ignored them.
He filed 28 fraudulent documents including income tax returns and GST returns over the three years, the IRD said in a statement.
The documents related to three companies: property investment company STH Investments and security companies 380 Express and Voltage Security (previously known as First Response Security Services).