NDIS fraud: $8 million luxury mansions revealed as owned by companies alleged to have defrauded Australian disabled people
- Federal government investigates alleged NDIS scam
- Three suspects may have stolen money from the scheme
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Government investigators believe a series of properties worth millions were purchased with money allegedly stolen from the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
The federal government’s Fusion Taskforce is investigating whether three prime suspects used NDIS funds to purchase seven properties worth more than $8.3 million.
Properties in western and southwestern Sydney were raided last month as part of police investigations into an alleged criminal network that was claimed for more than $28 million through the NDIS.
The suspects are under investigation for allegedly “skimming” NDIS from genuine recipients without their knowledge, providing false invoices for services not rendered, and claiming NDIS payments for people without disabilities.
NDIS Minister Bill Shorten said he was baffled by the “depravity of degenerates stealing from severely disabled Australians to buy McMansions with koi ponds, saunas and games rooms.”
The federal government’s Fusion Taskforce is investigating whether three prime suspects used NDIS funds to purchase seven properties worth more than $8.3 million (up one).
“If we find property purchased through theft from the NDIS, we will recover whatever money we can,” he told the Saturday Telegraph.
“We have children in Australia who are paralyzed and need 24-hour help to eat, breathe, wash themselves, but instead we have people taking their money.
“I don’t want NDIS participants to become the traps.
“Thank God we created the Fusion Fraud Taskforce because if we hadn’t, people would still be plotting to steal money meant for those people.
“Crime against the NDIS system is a cowardly crime.”
One of the suspects, who was the target of the initial raid on July 2, owns two properties in western Sydney worth more than $2.5 million.
One property is a $1.2 million lavish four-bedroom home with a heated in-ground pool, large BBQ area, spa bathroom, game room, and CCTV.
The other property is a $1,425 million four bedroom home.
The second suspect, a “close associate” of the first, owns a $1.4 million six-bedroom, four-bathroom property in southwest Sydney.
The properties (one above) in Sydney were raided last month as part of the investigation into an alleged criminal network that was claimed for more than $28 million through the NDIS
They reportedly spent nearly $150,000 renovating the home, which also includes a detached granny flat.
The two suspects have been involved in nearly 20 different businesses, including a registered charity, reportedly under variations of their names.
Another suspect who owns multiple homes worth nearly $3.5 million was robbed two weeks ago.
He is reportedly the director, shareholder and secretary of 14 different companies – all of which are registered under variations of his name.
A year ago, one of his properties was purchased for $1.375 million to be developed and converted into accommodation for NDIS participants.
The housing proposal was described as a ‘money machine’.
Another of his assets, a six-bedroom mansion, was valued at $1.28 million, while an associate of his, who is also under investigation, owns an $800,000 property.
Specialists will examine the purchases of the properties by searching documents and electronic files.
Specialists will examine the purchases of the properties (one above) by searching documents and electronic records
It is clear that detectives are working hard to uncover the extent of the suspected fraud committed by the suspects and locate evidence to support criminal charges.
Future charges could include tax fraud, money laundering and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
If found guilty, the suspects could face decades behind bars.