<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A Melbourne man has been jailed for claiming hundreds of thousands of dollars in GST refunds he wasn't entitled to.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Australian Tax Office (ATO) said Josh Merrett used an ABN for a staircase manufacturing and antique furniture repair business to submit dozens of claims containing false information.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The ATO said when its investigators and Australian Federal Police conducted a search of Merrett's residence, there was "no evidence of any commercial activity, or sales or purchases consistent with running a business".</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/easter-long-weekend-2025-can-you-buy-alcohol-good-friday-easter-sunday-explainer/326f1cd3-f646-495e-a540-c397d699e554" target="" title="Where you can and can't buy alcohol over the Easter long weekend"><strong><span>Where you can and can't buy alcohol over the Easter long weekend</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Merrett had obtained more than $390,000 in fraudulent GST refunds and attempted to obtain a further $330,000, the ATO said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was charged with obtaining a financial advantage by deception, attempting to obtain a financial advantage by deception, and failing to comply with an order as a result of refusing to provide his phone passcode after the device was seized by police.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was sentenced to two years and 11 months imprisonment, the ATO said.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/melbourne-man-faces-stairsway-to-jail-over-gst-fraud/e9b1d91f-9602-4eea-8751-a4ca28f138f2" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There are no ifs, ands or buts here – if you don't run a business, you don't need an ABN and you cannot claim GST refunds. This is fraud," ATO Acting Deputy Commissioner Kath Anderson said. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Fraud against the ATO is not tolerated and we continue the fight against criminals seeking to exploit the tax system."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/what-is-the-minecraft-movie-chicken-jockey-meme/d5763a39-68f8-479d-bd73-c0f81df32319" rel="" target="" title="Hollywood star urges fans not to take part in trend after cinemas trashed"><strong><span>Hollywood star urges fans not to take part in trend after cinemas trashed</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Merrett was accused of filing 31 business activity statements (BAS) with false information between June 2021 and June 2022, which led to $394,801 in refunds being paid within a three-month period, triggering an immediate audit and account lockdown by the ATO.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He also was alleged to have additionally tried to get more than $330,000 in GST refunds, which were stopped by the ATO.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Merrett was ordered to be released after serving one year and eight months, upon entering a bond with the court that promised him $1000 on the condition of good behaviour for two years, the ATO said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Merrett also still owes $392,917 in reparations, which the ATO said it would continue to chase down in the future.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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