Auckland Man uses fake names and addresses in wage subsidy fraud

Phillipe Michel Aureil Allard who was also known as Paul Bogiatto, Refael Lisbonne and Jean Paul Maximiliano Citroen, was found guilty in a jury trial on twelve charges, of dishonestly using a document.

He made multiple successful wage subsidy applications between March and August 2020, totalling more than $35,000, despite knowing he was not entitled to the funds received. He represented himself as a sole trader. At the time he was not working as a sole trader.

Allard used false addresses in Auckland and Tauranga to set up R & D Tax Support Limited, a company with no evidence of employees or trading activity, to make his applications.

After the wage subsidies were paid, the money was transferred to Mr Allard’s personal account, and spent on personal items, with no evidence any of the money was paid to an employee.

Allard also made additional unsuccessful applications, totalling more than $60,000.

Reparation of $35,148 was granted as part of sentencing.

A total of 36 people have been sentenced in wage subsidy cases, and another 53 people are still before the courts as part of MSD’s programme of work on wage subsidy fraud and integrity. Since the scheme started, more than $829 million* in wage subsidies has been repaid. For more information about the Wage Subsidy Integrity and Fraud Programme please see here. 
*Figures at 31 March