Businessman Abel Kalpinand Prasad has admitted to defrauding an international student, Jaspal Marok of thousands of dollars by giving him a fake visa. He also admitted to stealing $100,000 from the tax office.
28-year-old Prasad was arrested in Brisbane last year and refused bail. He faced charges of financial deception and giving false information to a government agency. He now faces 10 year jail term and further charges may be pressed against him.
He was also investigated by the Australian Border Force for allegedly duping twenty international students. Prasad is alleged to have promised them jobs in his three companies but supplied them with false working visas.
On Friday, Prasad appeared before Adelaide Magistrate’s court and pleaded guilty to dishonestly obtaining $75,934 from the Tax office and attempting to obtain a further $38,455 in GST payments.
He also pleaded guilty to dishonestly obtaining $33,000 in July last year from Jaspal Marok, an international student, whom he emailed a counterfeit notice that his working visa had been granted and a false notice of approval.
The prosecution withdrew the remaining 18 counts under a plea bargain.
