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AAP
AAP
National
Miklos Bolza

'Blizzard of lies' tangled reporter in Plutus blackmail

Stephen Barrett is trying to recoup almost $500,000 in legal expenses defending the dropped case. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)

A veteran crime reporter was prosecuted over a plot to blackmail the masterminds behind the $105 million Plutus tax evasion scheme based on the evidence of a proven liar, a court has heard.

Stephen Barrett was accused of working to extort millions of dollars from the architects of the Plutus scheme, in which GST meant for the Australian Tax Office was skimmed off and transferred elsewhere.

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