ASIC has permanently banned Joseph George Christiansz, formerly of Toorak, Victoria, from providing financial services.

Mr Christiansz was formerly a director and secretary of Australian Financial Services Licensee, ProArbtraders International Pty Ltd (formerly known as Aussie Invests Pty Ltd), and a former responsible officer of Aussie Invests Pty Ltd.

On 1 February 2007, Mr Christiansz was convicted of three counts of obtaining property by deception and three counts of attempting to obtain property by deception committed between February and October 2005. The offences involved Mr Christiansz, as a tax agent, fraudulently obtaining refunds totalling $1.4 million and attempting to obtain a further $9.8 million of refunds fraudulently. As a result, Mr Christiansz was ordered to serve a four-and-a-half year jail sentence with a non-parole period of two years and three months.

Mr Christiansz was banned following concerns by ASIC that, when released, he would pose a risk to the public with respect to providing financial services and would not act with honesty and integrity.

Mr Christiansz has the right to lodge an application for a review of ASIC’s decision with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.