Crocodile Dundee in tax evasion probe

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Actor Paul Hogan was pulled in for questioning by the Australian Taxation Office at the end of last year, as part of a massive audit of his tax affairs.

The audit and questioning under oath was part of an investigation into whether he evaded tax, along with the producer of his Crocodile Dundee films, John Cornell, and financial adviser Tony Stewart. The Tax Office's formal interview of Mr Hogan on December 30 had not been made public.

The details were contained in legal documents filed in the Federal Court as part of Mr Stewart's attempts to avoid answering the Tax Office's questions. On the eve of his interview by the ATO in April, Mr Stewart launched a case claiming attempts to force him to answer questions were unlawful.

He also claims accounting files taken from his home and office in raids by the federal police and the Australian Crime Commission are protected and cannot be used in the probe into whether the trio were involved in a scheme to evade tax. As part of Operation Wickenby the three men have also been interviewed by the Crime Commission.

The case returns to the Federal Court next Tuesday.

- © Fairfax NZ News