Confirming Sione Na’aniumotu Pome’e 27 months’ imprisonment for a $1.8 million tax fraud, the High Court said this sentence was generous given that a promised $200,000 voluntary reparation was never paid.
Pome’e pleaded guilty after an Inland Revenue audit uncovered a long running seven year tax fraud. He was sole director and shareholder of labour hire company Pome’e Engineering. Returns filed with Inland Revene understated levels of employee PAYE deductions. Payment deadlines to Inland Revenue were met late or missed altogether. The court was told over one million dollars was diverted to a joint account held in the name of Pome’e and his uncle. Money was used for: overseas travel; personal expenditure; and gifts to a wide social circle including family members, employees and $25,000 to support a nephew’s burgeoning music career.
Evidence was given that Inland Revenue recovered some $224,000 from liquidation of Pome’e Engineering and a further $125,000 from bank accounts. Pome’e voluntarily paid back some $366,200. Pome’s promise prior to sentencing by the trial judge to make a further voluntary payment of $200,000 came to nothing.
Pome’e v. Inland Revenue – High Court (14.09.22)
22.160