Maptek founder Bob Johnson accused of hiding assets to avoid $ 38.5 million in income tax

A South Australian mining tycoon is on trial today for tax evasion worth $ 38.5 million.

Bob Johnson, founder of mining software and hardware company Maptek, will face Adelaide Magistrates’ Court on two counts of Commonwealth fraud and 13 charges of obtaining financial advantage by deception.

Each count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

The 74-year-old man from Adelaide is accused of failing to disclose offshore trust assets in his tax returns and therefore evading income tax in Australia between 1999 and 2013.

He founded Maptek in 1981 as well as Havilah Resources, which has copper and gold mining prospects in northeastern South Australia near Broken Hill.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have obtained an order from the Supreme Court of South Australia to freeze what the agency said in a statement to be a “significant amount of assets” belonging to Dr Johnson.

“The laying of charges against the alleged offender as well as the obtaining of restraining orders in this investigation is a clear warning that the Australian Federal Police will take action in the event of allegations of serious financial crimes,” the commander said by interim AFP Southern Command. Raegan Stewart said.

AFP carried out its investigation in collaboration with the Australian Tax Office and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, in collaboration with authorities in Jersey, the United States, the United Kingdom and the British Virgin Islands.

“We are committed to continuing to work together, alongside our international law enforcement partners in the investigation of this type of crime, to seek to remove the benefits derived from crime, to identify those responsible and to remove them. bring it to court, ”Acting Commander Stewart said.

In May, Dr Johnson was named by the mining equipment industry association Austmine as the 2021 Innovation Champion.