The son of a former high-ranking Tax Office official in Australia is among three people found guilty of taking part in an AUD 105 million (USD 69.4 million) tax fraud scheme involving payroll provider Plutus Payroll, reports The Sydney Morning Herald. Adam Michael Cranston, 36, Lauren Anne Cranston, 30, Dev Menon, 39, Jason Cornell Onley, 52, and Patrick Willmott, 36, faced trial in the NSW Supreme Court after each pleaded not guilty to two charges: conspiring to dishonestly cause a loss to the Commonwealth, and conspiring to deal with more than AUD 1 million (USD 0.6 million) believing it would be the proceeds of crime. The Cranston siblings are the children of former ATO deputy commissioner Michael Cranston, who the jury was told was not accused of any wrongdoing.

The nine-month trial began in Sydney in April 2022 before Justice Anthony Payne, and jurors retired to consider their verdicts on 18 January 2023. Plutus Payroll had allegedly been ‘funneling’ wage payments through several sub-contracted ‘second-tier’ companies. The court was told that Plutus was behind a scheme to withhold more than AUD 105 million (USD 69.4 million) from the tax office over three years, using the second-tier companies. The unpaid taxes allegedly funded lavish lifestyles featuring fast cars, airplanes and properties.

On Tuesday, after almost two months of deliberation, the jury found Adam Cranston, Menon and Onley guilty of both charges. Deliberations continue for Lauren Cranston and Willmott.