Simone Semmens jailed over $1.7 million property tax fraud
The former property developer and model Simone Semmens has been jailed for 34 months after not paying GST or tax on three of her Melbourne properties.
She will be released after she serves 14 months.
The former TV presenter failed to pay GST on a $7.8 million mansion at Caulfield North, a $7.5 million property at Portsea and a Toorak property said to be valued at more than $1 million.
In June Semmens denied she withheld the GST payments.
During her sentencing, the judge said her fall from grace had been "dramatic."
“You remained stubborn and steadfast that you did not owe GST or tax at crucial times,” the judge said.
“The tragedy of your current situation, it needn’t have come to this,” he added, suggesting there were multiple times the issue could have been resolved before trial.
Semmens was found guilty of 10 charges of dishonestly withholding tax payments owed after a two-week trial in the Victorian County Court.
The Australian Taxation Office has said Semmens flipped 10 luxury properties, bringing in more than $20 million and a total profit of $4.4 million between 2005 to 2011.
