Documents released under freedom of information reveal that the Tax Office and other law enforcement agencies participating in Project Wickenby, an inter-agency taskforce targeting offshore tax evasion, have been quietly developing a comprehensive raft of new measures to combat abuse of ”secrecy havens” – overseas countries with secretive tax or financial systems that offer minimal taxes for non-residents.
…Since 2006, Project Wickenby has resulted in 62 people being charged with serious tax avoidance, money laundering and fraud. Twenty-one people have been convicted, although the taskforce has had setbacks, including the abortive legal pursuit of actor Paul Hogan. Nearly $594 million in outstanding tax revenue has been recovered and $1.18 billion in tax liabilities has been raised.
