ATO Whistleblower Avoids Conviction and Jail

While Richard Boyle escaped serious penalties after years of uncertainty, politicians and lawyers are calling for better whistleblower protections.

Richard Boyle with his wife Louise Beaston leave the SA District Court in Adelaide, Australia, on May 27, 2025. AAP Image/Matt Turner

Former Australian Tax Office (ATO) employee-turned-whistleblower Richard Boyle has finally learned his fate seven years after his Adelaide home was raided by Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers and then charged with 66 offences.

He later pleaded guilty to four charges following a protracted legal battle and was handed a 12-month good behaviour bond with no recorded conviction.