Two men are set to appear in Burwood Local Court today, facing charges for allegedly defrauding the NSW Government of over $200,000 through false financial claims.
In August 2024, the Financial Crimes Squad launched Strike Force Avranches to investigate suspicious claims made under the Sexual Assault Reporting Operation (SARO). Detectives uncovered that the two men, aged 37 and 30, allegedly created multiple bank accounts to file fraudulent compensation claims using false SARO reports, receiving over $218,000 in total.
On Monday, 21 October, strike force detectives arrested the two men at a motel in Lidcombe. The 37-year-old faces 25 charges related to identity fraud, 19 counts of financial deception, and one charge of dealing with proceeds of crime. The 30-year-old has been charged with recklessly dealing with proceeds of crime, identity fraud, and financial deception.
Both men were refused bail and will appear in court today. Investigations under Strike Force Avranches are ongoing.