ONLINE RETURNS PTY LTD

ASIC has obtained orders in the Federal Court of Australia appointing provisional liquidators to Tax Returns Australia Dot Com Pty Ltd (TRADC) and Online Returns Pty Ltd (Online Returns). These orders follow an ASIC investigation in January 2010 after concerns were raised that clients of both companies had not received tax refunds and stimulus payments owed to them. Both TRADC and Online Returns operated a website through which taxpayers could submit a tax return to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). Justice Dodds-Streeton ruled that there was sufficient evidence to suggest that both companies had failed to pay clients substantial amounts of money received as tax refunds on their behalf from the ATO. Her Honour also concluded that the companies may have allowed tax refunds received on behalf of clients to be applied, without justification, to the purchase of a holiday property in Port Douglas, Queensland. Mr Ross Blakeley and Mr Quentin Olde, of Taylor Woodings, were appointed provisional liquidators of both companies. ASIC's investigation is continuing. Background In 2001, a former director of TRADC and Online Returns, Mr Darren Brown, was jailed by ASIC for misappropriation of $1.46 million of trust funds. In 2004, ASIC successfully applied to the Victorian Supreme Court to wind up four companies owned and operated by the current director of TRADC and Online Returns, Mr Robert Brown. Mr Robert Brown is also permanently banned by ASIC from fundraising on behalf of companies.