Case studies

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.

Four people have been charged by the Australia Federal Police (AFP) for allegedly submitting false claims to gain early access to superannuation savings.

A university employee submitted false invoices via the university’s procurement system to fraudulently obtain 198 EFTPOS gift cards valued over $600,000.

Australian Federal Police arrested a group of 5 people who allegedly stole $1.1 million from those managing the affairs of 70 people with National Disability Insurance Scheme plans. The group allegedly established 3 registered providers under the National Disability Insurance Scheme and provided over-inflated invoices or no service at all. If found guilty of the alleged offences, they face between 12 months and up to 10 years in prison.