Former taxman's son to be jailed for 'Ben Hur' fraud - 9News

The son of a former deputy tax commissioner who ripped off taxpayers for millions of dollars will spend at least 10 years in jail.

Adam Cranston was sentenced today for his role in the Plutus Payroll tax fraud and money laundering conspiracies.

The 36-year-old was jailed for a maximum of 15 years in jail with a non-parole period of 10 years.

Adam Cranston, 36, was found guilty in March of money laundering and conspiring to commit tax fraud along with four others. (AAP / Dan Himbrechts)

He was found guilty in March along with four others at the end of a marathon trial beginning in April 2022.

They conspired to cause a loss to the Commonwealth and deal with the proceeds of crime, using Plutus Payroll and its web of second-tier companies directed by vulnerable patsies to siphon more than $105 million that should have been paid to the tax office.

Cranston personally received more than $6.8 million for his efforts.

He was covertly recorded describing the scale of their fraud.

"If this was fully uncovered and they knew exactly what was going on it'd be f------ Ben Hur, man," Cranston said, unaware he was being recorded by investigators seeking to do just that.

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NSW Supreme Court Justice Anthony Payne later described it as "one of the most serious federal tax fraud trials successfully prosecuted in this country".

He relieved jurors from serving on another jury for 20 years, while his involvement in the case has extended several months as the withdrawal and eventual reinstatement of commonwealth funding for Cranston's legal representation delayed sentencing.

Former professional snowboarder and co-conspirator Jason Onley was also sentenced today.

Lauren Cranston was jailed for her role in the Plutus Payroll conspiracy. (AAP)

Lauren Cranston was found to have some misguided loyalty to her older brother and was left sobbing as she was jailed for at least five years in May.

Adam Cranston's childhood friend Patrick Willmott has been jailed at least six years while corrupt lawyer Dev Menon received at least nine.

Michael Cranston was a deputy commissioner of taxation while his children defrauded taxpayers, lavishing their funds on luxury trinkets and properties.

"You've got a lot of f------ cars mate," Cranston told his son as he defended the legitimacy of his increasingly visible ill-gotten wealth, shortly before the arrests in May 2017.

The elder Cranston was acquitted in 2019.

- Reported with AAP.

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2023-08-22 01:55:57Z
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