ATO Deputy Commissioner quits after court appearance over fraud scandal

Australian Tax Office deputy commissioner Michael Cranston has resigned just hours after he appeared in a NSW court over an unprecedented fraud scandal linked to his son and daughter.

The 58-year-old faced Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday after being issued with a court attendance notice last month on two charges of abusing public office to gain an advantage.

The Australian Taxation Office announced he’d quit as a deputy commissioner after his court appearance.

In May police said he may have unwittingly been caught up in an alleged $130 million tax-evasion racket involving his 30-year-old son.

Adam Cranston was charged with conspiring to defraud the Commonwealth.