Project Wickenby snares white collar criminals
Two men found guilty of defrauding the Government have received tougher sentences following appeals in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal as a result of Project Wickenby.
Earlier this week Michael Boughen and Wayne Francis Cameron pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the Commonwealth and conspiracy to dishonestly cause a loss to the Commonwealth and received a three-year sentence, with a minimum of 18 months to be served.
The court said that failing to position tax fraud and evasion commensurate with social security fraud would be tantamount to perpetrating class bias.
"The NSW Court of Criminal Appeal confirmed that imposing 'firm custodial sentences' in instances of white-collar crime was required to ensure an offender would not offend again, and to act as a deterrent to others," Tax Commissioner Michael D'Ascenzo said.
In a separate case last week, Michael Milne's eight-and-a-half year sentence was upheld and his appeal dismissed, leaving Milne to serve a minimum of four years and nine months for dishonestly obtaining a gain from a Commonwealth entity and money laundering.
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