Case studies

A former Victorian public servant and 3 individuals associated with an external provider have been charged with 55 offences relating to alleged dodgy TAFE qualifications and training.

Two men have been arrested for their involvement in an SMS phishing scheme working to steal identity and money from thousands of Australians.

A group allegedly controlled multiple providers registered on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to steal over $1.5 million from 68 Australians living with disability.

A 56-year-old female police officer took advantage of her position to steal 6 vacant homes by exploiting the law of adverse possession, more commonly known as "squatter’s rights" (legally becoming the owner of a property after continuous possession or occupation of the property without the permission of its legal owner).

Three Queensland women allegedly submitted several fraudulent applications to attempt to access early release of superannuation totalling $113,500. Police allege that the women, who are allegedly linked to a sophisticated crime gang, collected identity data in order to access the superannuation accounts of unsuspecting victims. The women were arrested following investigations by the Serious Financial Crime Taskforce.

Multiple people have been charged and convicted as part of Operation Elbrus which revealed a group of people were using payroll services companies to divert pay-as-you-go withholding tax and goods and services tax owed to the ATO. The group is alleged to have defrauded the Commonwealth of over $105 million over three years. Sixteen people have been charged, with multiple being convicted and sentenced to prison.

A Sydney GP has been arrested for his alleged involvement in a “crash and earn” insurance fraud. The man allegedly created fraudulent medical records and certificates based on fabricated vehicle crashes. The man also allegedly produced false medical certificates for university students.

Two Commonwealth employees and an associate have been charged with conspiracy to defraud the Commonwealth and abuse of public office. Police allege that the trio used inside knowledge obtained in the course of their employment at the Department of Finance to direct IT contracts to ‘preferred suppliers.’ The trio then allegedly used kickbacks to buy and renovate properties. Police have frozen $7.8 million in assets as part of the investigation.

Two women from Port Macquarie were arrested after allegedly making suspicious claims for bushfire and coronavirus welfare assistance.

A Sydney man was arrested over alleged fraudulent claims for Australians affected by the recent bushfires and coronavirus. It is alleged that the man had assumed up to 11 identities and created 53 fictitious identities to submit claims for Commonwealth Government benefits. The value of the alleged fraudulent payments is approximately $70,000.