KEY POINTS:
Nelson Symphony Orchestra director David John Lindup is in custody after fraudulently claiming GST refunds worth $1.3 million for musical instruments he never bought.
Lindup, 30, of Nelson, admitted nine charges of using a GST tax return for pecuniary gain, when he appeared in Nelson District Court yesterday.
The Nelson Mail reported the charges, laid by the Inland Revenue Department, span offending between February and November last year. The claims supposedly related to the purchase of musical instruments, including violins, violas and bows.
Prosecutor Shailer Weston told the court Lindup was the sole shareholder and director of Lindup Holdings Ltd, which was registered with the Companies Office in December 2003.
Last year he lodged GST claims for $1,353,39.72, of which $866,733.82 was credited by Inland Revenue to the company's account.
Mr Weston said Lindup did not buy any instruments and was not entitled to the refunds. He also fabricated tax invoices, import certificates and bank documents to support his claims.
All funds in his bank account had been withdrawn by the end of last year. The GST refund money was spent on three properties worth $528,265, he transferred $157,000 to other companies solely operated by him, and $43,000 was transferred to bank accounts overseas.
Lindup was remanded in custody until June 4.
He is musical director of the Nelson Symphony Orchestra and lives in Nelson with his partner and three children.
He moved to Nelson in 2001 and had been one of only six fulltime conductors in New Zealand.
Orchestra chairman Richard Wells said Lindup had warned him about the case so the orchestra was not "totally unprepared". However, most orchestra members would not have known of the prosecution.
- NZPA
