The AFP-led Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce (CACT) has restrained a house in Cooma, New South Wales, in relation to an alleged online NSW child sex offender.
The man, 71, was charged with child abuse material offences in June, 2023, after the AFP Eastern Command Child Protection Operations team alleged he was found to be in possession of child abuse images and videos.
The man was charged with three offences relating to use of a carriage service to transmit, possess, and access child abuse material. In July, 2024, the man pleaded guilty to these offences, and will next face court for sentencing in March, 2025.
On 5 March, 2025, the CACT - which brings together the AFP, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, Australian Taxation Office, Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, and Australian Border Force - applied to the Supreme Court of NSW to have the alleged offender's home restrained under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth).
The restraining order was granted, which prevents the man from disposing of the house, or otherwise benefitting from any sale of the house, until the Supreme Court of NSW makes further orders.
The property is believed to be valued about $370,000.
This is the fourth time the CACT has used the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth) to restrain the home of an alleged online child sex offender. Previous restraints included two homes in South Australia - one in November 2020 and another in December 2024 - and one in the Northern Territory in July 2024.
AFP Criminal Assets Confiscation Commander Jason Kennedy said this restraint sent a clear message the AFP and its partners would not hesitate to use their significant powers to target people exploiting children.
"Online child abuse is an abhorrent crime, exploiting some of the most vulnerable members of our community," Commander Kennedy said.
"Operations such as this act as another warning of the consequences offenders who engage in this horrific behaviour can face. That is, not only can they face significant prison time, they can also lose their home and other assets.
"Police can and will pursue asset restraints, and while these matters commonly involve proceeds from money laundering or drug trafficking offending, it can also involve crimes like human trafficking, cybercrime and child exploitation, as this matter shows.
"Bottom line - if you engage in illegal activity, police will relentlessly pursue you, your assets and your wealth."
Other CACT cases relating to online child abuse offending:
In 2020, a Belgium national living in Sydney was the first person to have assets restrained by the CACT as part of a child protection investigation. He had been selling online child abuse material from a website he ran. The CACT restrained the man's assets, estimated to be worth $30,000, which included funds in two bank accounts, camera equipment, a drone and scuba diving gear. The matter has been finalised, with all property forfeited to the Commonwealth.
In November 2020, the CACT restrained the Adelaide home of a man sentenced to more than 15 years' imprisonment for online child abuse offences, including the live streaming of children being sexually abused overseas. A total of 50 per cent of the market value of the property was ultimately confiscated.
In August 2023, the CACT restrained assets owned by a Geelong man, 32, after he was charged for controlling, producing and possessing child abuse material and dealing with proceeds of crime. The assets included two vehicles, high-end televisions, audio-visual equipment, furniture and appliances. The CACT is currently seeking to confiscate the restrained assets and benefits derived from the alleged offending.
In July 2024, the CACT successfully confiscated the home of a Northern Territory man who was convicted of online child abuse material offences.
In December 2024, the CACT successfully seized the home of a South Australian man who had been charged with more than 50 offences, largely relating to the alleged transmission and production of child abuse material on social media platforms.
The CACT was launched in March 2011 and permanently established in 2012 as a proactive and innovative approach to trace, restrain and ultimately confiscate criminal assets.
The highly skilled members of CACT are located Australia-wide and comprise police, financial investigators, forensic accountants, litigation lawyers and partner agency specialists.
Since it was established, the CACT has restrained almost $2 billion* in criminal assets, targeting the alleged illicit wealth of some of the most notorious and significant criminals in Australia.
The Commonwealth's proceeds of crime laws allow the CACT to restrain proceeds of crime based on a civil standard of proof, as well as obtain financial penalty and unexplained wealth orders - regardless of whether there is a related criminal prosecution or investigation.
Commonwealth proceeds of crime laws also provide the CACT with strong information gathering and coercive examination powers, and an ability to restrain the assets of criminal groups without their prior knowledge.
While the CACT litigates matters in the courts, restrained assets are managed on behalf of the Commonwealth by the Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA). At the conclusion of successful legal proceedings, confiscated assets are then liquidated by AFSA, with the proceeds placed in the Commonwealth Confiscated Assets Account (CAA).
Those funds are then approved for expenditure by the Attorney-General to benefit the community through programs for crime prevention, law enforcement, treatment of drug addiction, and drug diversion measures.
*Figure as at December 2024
