Sydney Man Arrested for Allegedly Defrauding Government Agency of $3.5 Million
A 38-year-old man from the Sydney suburb of Lurnea appeared in Liverpool Local Court on 24 July after being charged with allegedly defrauding a Northern Territory government agency out of $3,583,363 in November 2024. The accused posed as a legitimate contractor who had previously worked with the agency, providing a completed vendor identification, a registered business, and a link to a website that appeared to belong to the company, along with bank account details. However, the website was fake, designed to mimic the legitimate business.
The alleged fraud was reported to the bank involved, which subsequently referred the matter to the Australian Federal Police. Investigators traced the phone number provided for the fraudulent business, leading them to the alleged perpetrator. A search warrant was executed at the man’s residence, resulting in the seizure of electronic devices and documentation linked to the business he registered. AFP Detective Superintendent Marie Andersson highlighted the prevalence of business email compromise and fraud as common self-reported cyber crimes in Australia during the 2023–2024 financial year. She emphasised the importance of verifying emails, especially when there are requests for changes in banking details, and advised individuals to confirm the legitimacy of such requests by using a known phone number.