Inside story of how a stay-at-home mum of five on Centrelink benefits managed to rort nearly $200,000 from the tax office: ‘Staggering level of dishonesty’
- Amanda Jane Burman, 45, failed in attempt to leech government of $500,000
- She managed to rort the Australian Taxation Office of $176,219 over four years
- Lodged 72 business activity statements, claiming GST refunds, for two entities
- Was sentenced to five years behind bars and 20 months non-parole period
- She has been ordered to pay reparation of $197,924 to the Commonwealth
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A 45-year-old stay-at-home mother who received welfare benefits failed in her attempts to ‘leech’ the government of more than half a million dollars.
But Amanda Jane Burman’s ‘staggering level of dishonesty’ lasting more than a decade did enable her to obtain nearly $200,000, a Brisbane court has been told.
From the age of 31 for about four years Burman lodged 72 business activity statements, claiming GST refunds, for two entities not operating at the time.
A total of $501,596 was blocked by the Australian Taxation Office, but she did receive $176,129.
Amanda Jane Burman, 45, managed to rort the Australian Tax Office of $176,129 after lodging 72 business activity statements over a four-year period, claiming GST refunds, for two entities not operating at the time
At the time Burman – who has never worked – got Centrelink benefits.
The serious protracted offending continued despite queries from the ATO, Brisbane District Court Judge William Everson said on Tuesday.
Between 2014 and 2016 Burman obtained $21,795 in income tax refunds by providing false information about pay-as-you-go tax to accountants.
She attempted to claim a further $3691.
The now mother-of-five also obtained a $200,000 loan from a finance company in early 2019 by providing forged documents about her mortgage to a broker.
The stay-at-home mother of five had previously been convicted for obstructing or hindering a commonwealth public official for which she was given a good behaviour bond in 2014
Commonwealth prosecutor Daniel Caruana said Burman engaged in a staggering level of dishonesty while committing a spate of offending.
Regarding the attempted fraud of more than $500,000, Judge Everson said the offence involved ‘attempting to leech a lot of money that’s public revenue money’ for Burman’s own benefit.
He questioned inconsistencies in a psychological report, saying recidivist fraudsters ‘just tell everyone lies’.
The court heard Burman had her first child at the age of 23, has not worked in any significant way and is currently the primary carer of four children.
Her only previous conviction is for obstructing or hindering a commonwealth public official for which she was given a good behaviour bond in 2014.
Burman was given a head sentence of five years behind bars and is required to serve a non-parole period of 20 months. She has been ordered to pay reparation of $197,924 to the Commonwealth
Judge Everson said Burman’s guilty pleas and the vulnerability of some of her children were taken into account in handing down a sentence.
‘The extent of the offending and the fact you persisted with it, even when inquiries from the Australian Taxation Office would have warned you that what you were doing was coming to light, is concerning,’ he told her.
Burman was given a head sentence of five years behind bars and is required to serve a non-parole period of 20 months.
She has been ordered to pay reparation of $197,924 to the Commonwealth.