The daughter-in-law of Australian Taxation Office deputy commissioner Michael Cranston, and dozens of companies and individuals allegedly linked to a major tax fraud scheme, are among 60 parties whose assets have been frozen by the Australian Federal Police.
Adam and Lauren Cranston, the son and daughter of Michael Cranston, and eight others have been charged with offences relating to the alleged tax scheme, which allegedly involved diverting millions of funds from Plutus Payroll intended for the tax office through a series of companies and using them for personal gain.
Seven people – Lauren and Adam Cranston, Daniel Rostankovski, Dev Menon, Simon Anquetil, Devyn Hammond and Jason Onley – have been charged with conspiracy to defraud. Aaron Paul and Christopher Guillan are charged with dealing with alleged proceeds of crime, and Rostankovski and Daniel Hausmann are charged with blackmail.
Last month, Justice Elizabeth Fullerton of the NSW supreme court granted the AFP restraint orders to freeze assets they alleged could be linked to the proceeds of crime.
The court has now released a list of all 60 parties to the case, which includes entities and people alleged to be linked to the scheme. Fullerton made the initial restraint order in relation to the “organised tax fraud”. None of the individuals or entities face criminal charges.
The parties subject to the restraint order include Elizabeth Cranston, the wife of Adam Cranston.
Andrew Kubacki is also subject to the order, along with Cheree Gabrielle Marshall, Glen Saikali, Jessica Van Schreven, Rachel Anne Keary, Ryan Neal Rex Patchett, Vibha Ashokkumar Talesara, Fiona Wing-Shan Mak and Sophia Constantopedos.
Jay Sasha Kendrick, who is also subject to the order, is alleged to have been a director and shareholder of one of the companies used by Adam Cranston to buy a house in Vacy according to a police statement of facts.
The list also includes a Plutus payroll manager, Joshua Kitson, who has not been charged with any offence. Kitson is alleged to have been present at a meeting between Adam Cranston, Menon and Anquetil in February when Cranston and Menon allegedly discussed how to avoid liability and investigation by the ATO.
Some of the entities restrained by the court have links to the individuals charged, and appear to be in control of considerable assets.
SOFS Pty Ltd lodged a development application for a five-storey development in the City of Sydney two years ago, and prevailed in the land and environment court after a lengthy dispute over the application. Hausmann is a director of the company.
Lands Legal Pty Ltd is also subject to the restraining order. Police allege that one of the company’s solicitors, Dev Chalabian, controlled a trust account that received payments as part of an alleged blackmail scheme by two of the co-conspirators. Chalabian has not been charged with any offence.
A Hong Kong-based retail and consultancy company, Solutions Mondiale, is also a party to the order.
On Thursday, a supreme court hearing foreshadowed that some parties may seek to challenge the restraint order.
A series of compulsory examinations, where the AFP can compel the individuals named in the case to give evidence, will take place in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal over the next month.
Contact Paul Farrell securely using the Signal messaging app on +61 457 262 172 or over email at paul.farrell@theguardian.com
- This article was amended on 9 June, 2017 to clarify the relationship between Michael Cranston and Elizabeth Cranston
