OZschwitz slave pen: Agius tax 'fraud' jury sworn in

A 15 member jury has been sworn in to hear a lengthy tax fraud trial, in which three Sydney accountants and an offshore associate, Robert Francis Agius, have been charged over an alleged tax fraud scheme.

The extra jury members were empanelled, Justice Carolyn Simpson said, because of the risk that not all jury members would be able to see out the three-month trial.

In the NSW Supreme Court, accountants Carol Abibadra, Kevin Zerafa and Deborah Judith Jandagi and Mr Agius have pleaded not guilty to charges that they conspired to defraud the Commonwealth from January 1997 until October 2006.

Peter Neil SC, for the Commonwealth, said the four were alleged to have conspired with accountant Owen Trevor Daniel, now deceased, at the Burwood firm Owen T Daniel & Co.

"Each lodged both company and personal personal tax returns for client companies and their shareholders in the firm Owen T Daniel and Co, and this was done by them as part of the implementation of the conspiracy" he said.

Mr Agius was an expatriate Australian, a chartered accountant who practised in Vanuatu, and was not alleged to have personally lodged and prepared tax returns, he said.

Mr Neil alleged the accused conspired with each other "to engage in a tax fraud scheme" in which expenses were falsely inflated, so reducing income tax payable. Under the scheme, he claimed they also concealed personal income returning to Australia which was badged as loans.

The hearing continues.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/business/agius-tax-fraud-jury-sworn-in-20120306-1ufll.html#ixzz1oPk9ftmu

OZschwitz slave pen: Agius tax 'fraud' jury sworn in

OZschwitz slave pen: Agius tax 'fraud' jury sworn in

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