George Alex outside the NSW Supreme Court at Darlinghurst during his trial.Credit:Wolter Peeters
Prosecutors allege the accused ran a labour hire business with legitimate construction industry clients including Multiplex,and used a multi-layered,“revolving door” of companies to pocket pay-as-you-go (PAYG) withholding tax from the wages and salaries of labour hire workers and office staff.
The Crown initially alleged $13.1 million was not remitted to the ATO. However,after the jury was directed to disregard particular evidence,this amount changed to around $10 million.
George Alex,Mark Ronald Bryers,Lindsay John Kirschberg,Gordon McAndrew and Pasquale Loccisano pleaded not guilty to conspiring to cause a loss to the Commonwealth,being the ATO,between July 2018 and July 2020 in Sydney,on the Gold Coast and elsewhere,and conspiring to deal with proceeds of crime of $1 million or more.
On Friday afternoon,the jury of nine men and three women unanimously found George Alex guilty of the proceeds of crime charge.
“Mr Alex is not present,he’s unwell,has been unable to attend court,” Justice Des Fagan told the jury before he took the verdict in Alex’s absence.
Arthur Alex outside court on the day after his acquittal.Credit:Dion Georgopoulos
Over Wednesday and Thursday afternoon,the jury returned verdicts relating to the co-accused,finding Bryers guilty of both counts,and Kirschberg,Loccisano and McAndrew also guilty of the proceeds of crime conspiracy.