A fleet of luxury supercars formerly owned by tax fraudsters is going up for auction in a bid to recover some of the gargantuan $105 million lost in the conspiracy.
The Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA) is auctioning thirty racing cars, motorcycles and luxury vehicles seized from the instigators of the infamous Plutus payroll tax evasion scandal online.
The supercar convoy includes a Porsche Cayenne GTS, which sells for $300,000, a Porsche 911 GT3, two Wolf GB08 Tornado racing cars and a replica of the Ford GT40 coupe.
There will also be four karts, two Ducati motorcycles and a Glastron GT180 motorboat available to the highest bidder.
Adam Cranston, son of former Australian Taxation Office deputy commissioner Michael Cranston, spent his criminal proceeds on a Cirrus SR22 single-engine plane and a truck to transport his GT40.
Last year he was sentenced to a maximum of 15 years behind bars and his sister, Lauren Cranston, received eight years for her minor role in the scam.
Plutus Payroll collected money from legitimate customers and funneled it through a network of second-tier companies instead of paying it to the tax office, diverting a loss of $105 million between 2014 and 2017.
AFSA estimates that the total value of the auctioned items will exceed $700,000.
Adam Cranston, son of former Australian Taxation Office deputy commissioner Michael Cranston, was sentenced to 15 years behind bars for his role in the tax evasion scheme.
A Porsche Cayenne GTS, which sells for $300,000, a Porsche 911 GT3, two Wolf GB08 Tornado racing cars and a replica of the Ford GT40 coupe will be auctioned online.
Thirty racing cars, motorcycles and luxury cars that once belonged to scammers will be auctioned
There will also be four karts, two Ducati motorcycles and a Glastron GT180 motorboat (pictured) available to the highest bidder.
ConfiscatedHigh-end jewelry, watches, designer bags and other luxury items will also be auctioned.
An Australian Federal Police (AFP) investigation known as Operation Elbrus, also known as Plutus payroll fraud, arrested scammers in 2021.
Police It seized five properties, three vehicles, funds from multiple bank accounts, investment accounts and holdings, as well as several luxury items worth almost $16 million from Plutus Payroll founder Simon Anquetil.
Mr. Anquetil bleached more than 28 million dollars, of which 12 million he kept for himself and was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison in 2020.
Dev Menon, 39, was also found guilty of conspiring to dishonestly cause a loss of $11 million to the Commonwealth and sentenced to a total of 14 years with a non-parole period of nine years.
He The ATO taskforce worked with the AFP to investigate large-scale tax fraud.
Christopher Guillan, former financial director, was the last of the 14 criminals to be sentenced and in February of this year he was sentenced to four and a half years in prison.
The auction proceeds will go toThe government’s Confiscated Asset Account, which will then be distributed for crime prevention, intervention or diversion programs, or other law enforcement initiatives.
