Ex-ATO staffer jailed
A former ATO employee has been sentenced to five years’ jail over corrupt conduct.
Former Australian Taxation Office (ATO) employee Wenfeng Wei was handed the sentence in Parramatta District Court after an admission of corrupt conduct, including accepting a substantial bribe to mitigate tax liabilities.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) says Wei's corrupt practices involved accepting bribes in return for reducing personal and business tax debts, totaling millions, over a six-year period.
Wei, who found himself before Judge Stephen Hanley this week, entered a guilty plea back in July 2023 for multiple breaches of the Commonwealth Criminal Code.
The charges included accepting bribes as a Commonwealth official, abuse of public office, and unauthorised access and disclosure of restricted data, as stated by the NACC.
The case emerged from Operation Barker, an investigation initially spearheaded by the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity (ACLEI) in collaboration with the ATO.
With ACLEI's integration into the NACC last year, the latter took over the investigation.
The case has highlighted systemic issues within the private security industry, where the ATO has long held concerns over dubious practices.
From ABN fraud to sham contracting, the industry's vulnerabilities to exploitation have been well-documented, marking a broader challenge facing regulatory and enforcement bodies.
The ATO, in response to the case, reiterated its zero-tolerance policy towards fraud and corruption.
A spokesperson highlighted the organisation's robust frameworks and ongoing cooperation with law enforcement agencies to identify and mitigate fraudulent activities.