Former tax agent sentenced to home detention for sustained fraud

Chafic Georges was sentenced at the Manukau District Court. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

A former tax agent has been sentenced to the maximum length of home detention for sustained tax fraud.

Chafic Georges was been sentenced to 12 months' home detention, after appearing in the Manukau District Court on 19 tax fraud charges.

Georges was a registered tax agent and sole trader from October 2006 until the business stopped in January 2018. Before that, he worked for Inland Revenue.

An investigation began after a risk review indicated he and his family had accumulated wealth unaccounted for in income tax returns.

"What was uncovered was sustained fraud, including filing false personal tax returns, and false income tax and GST returns for third parties," IRD said in a statement. "The tax refunds were paid to bank accounts Georges controlled for his personal use."

Georges received about $208,000 in personal payments from the Working for Families Tax Credits (WFTC), as well as GST, income tax and WFTC for third parties of just over $11,000.

The judge also ordered that full reparation be paid.

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