A Surrey man has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for tax fraud, tax evasion and possessing stolen property.
Mark Andrew Rosie, 44, was convicted in December of 16 criminal counts – 11 of falsely claiming and obtaining income tax refunds, three of tax evasion and two of possession of stolen property (tax refund cheques).
As well as the jail term, Rosie was also fined $142,049 by a Vancouver Supreme Court justice on May 22.
According to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), an investigation determined each of the frauds was "well planned, sophisticated and multifaceted."
Rosie obtained personal information from his victims – some of whom were friends – and manipulated CRA's records for taxpayer addresses so income tax refund cheques would be diverted to him. He also prepared false tax returns, set up and used bank accounts in other people's names, often diverting the fraudulent refunds and credit claims to those bank accounts.
As well as targeting friends and acquaintances, Rosie also preyed on vulnerable people with additions and drug habits, using a third party to get their personal information in exchange for drugs.
The case involved the income tax returns of more than 20 people.