A lawyer who was covertly recorded describing a tax fraud scheme as 'the biggest in Australia's history' has been sentenced to at least nine years in prison. Dev Menon, 39, was found guilty in March of conspiring to dishonestly cause an $11 million loss to the Commonwealth as part of the Plutus Payroll fraud.
The scheme, which operated between 2014 and 2017, involved collecting money from legitimate clients and funneling it through a web of second-tier companies instead of paying it to the tax office, resulting in a total loss of $105 million. Menon, a solicitor and accountant, helped manage vulnerable straw directors of these companies and had them sign false documents, exposing them to massive tax liabilities.
Justice Anthony Payne of the NSW Supreme Court sentenced Menon to 14 years with a non-parole period of nine years on Tuesday. The judge noted Menon's abuse of his professional status and lack of remorse, describing his conduct as 'thoroughly discreditable' for a solicitor.
Menon was recorded telling conspiracy architect Adam Cranston, 'It would be the biggest tax fraud in Australia's history, definitely, there is no question.' The recordings were among hundreds played during the nine-month trial. Menon appeared via video link from the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre in Sydney.
