A fifth conspirator,Mark Ronald Bryers,had already been found guilty.
Prosecutors had alleged the group operated a construction industry labour hire business with legitimate clients including Multiplex,using a network of companies to pocket pay-as-you-go (PAYG) withholding tax from the wages and salaries of labour hire workers and office staff.
In his opening address,Crown Prosecutor Chris O’Donnell,SC,told the jury that Alex “was very much in control” of the tax fraud conspiracy and that police phone taps showed he “was the person who needed to understand and approve of any future developments” to the scheme.
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“You can also hear,the Crown alleges,that he knew about the need to hide from the ATO and wanted to understand how that would be achieved,” O’Donnell said.
The court heard the conspirators retained a “substantial amount” of the tax fraud proceeds for personal benefit,including the purchase of an apartment on the Gold Coast and multiple cars.
In August,the jury found the five menguilty of conspiring to deal with more than $1 million in proceeds of crime.