A former Auckland accountant has been sentenced to more than two years in jail after stealing thousands of dollars of bogus tax credits.

Paul Lawrence claimed more than $278,000 in fake charitable donation tax credits on behalf of 33 unwitting clients at an Auckland accountancy firm - and diverted the money into his own bank accounts.

Inland Revenue spokesman, Patrick Goggin, says Lawrence totally abused the faith of the clients he looked after by stealing their identities and making false donation claims in their names.

He says he then pocketed the proceeds of these claims and spent the money on a lavish lifestyle of high fashion and luxury overseas travel.