A man accused of running a $100 million money-laundering scheme has been refused bail in a Sydney court.
Fifty-eight-year-old Robert Agius was extradited from Perth to Sydney by Federal Police yesterday.
He is an Australian but lives in Vanuatu, where he is alleged to have masterminded a tax fraud scheme involving a Sydney accounting firm.
Mr Agius did not appear in Central Local Court today but his lawyer requested that the matter be adjourned until Friday.
It is alleged the scheme involved transferring money out of Australia disguised as consultancy fees through a Sydney accounting firm.
Federal police have warned up to 400 clients they are also being looked at and they could owe the tax office millions.
Taxation Commissioner Michael D'Ascenzo says the charges brought against Robert Agius show the tax fraud investigation Project Wickenby is working, and it is sending a clear message.
Mr D'Ascenzo says since Project Wickenby was launched four years ago, the people it has targeted have increased their tax payments by 57 per cent.
"But the real key point is very much trying to send the message and trying to encourage people not to engage in these sorts of activities and to send the message to the community that you can have some faith in the integrity of the system," he said.
