Kāpiti pizza owner sentenced to home detention for $500,000 tax evasion
Kāpiti Coast pizza store owner Wenbin Shi has been sentenced to 10 months’ home detention for tax evasion involving more than $500,000.
Shi operated SWB Foods Limited, trading as Hell’s Pizza in Paraparaumu, and failed to meet GST, company income tax and personal income tax obligations. He also deducted PAYE from employees’ wages without passing it to Inland Revenue.
An audit beginning in June 2024 identified substantial unpaid taxes. Shi failed to file 25 GST returns, five years of company income tax returns and personal income tax returns for the same period. He also failed to pay 23 PAYE deductions.
In November 2025, Shi filed outstanding GST and income tax returns, bringing the total to $503,855.13. He repaid $100,000 before sentencing, leaving Inland Revenue with a loss of $403,855.13.
Sentencing Shi in the Porirua District Court, Judge Nicolls emphasised that offending against Inland Revenue was not a victimless crime, highlighting its impact.
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