Two men will appear before court today, charged with allegedly making multiple false SARO reports and receiving over $200k in compensation from the NSW Government.
In August 2024, officers attached to State Crime Command's Financial Crimes Squad established Strike Force Avranches to investigate multiple suspicious financial claims using the Sexual Assault Reporting Operation (SARO).
During the investigation, strike force detectives identified that two men had allegedly set up multiple banks accounts in order to make financial claims to the NSW Government for victim compensation using false SARO reports.
The total amount of fraudulent compensation the two men received was in excess of $218,000.
Following further investigations, strike force detectives arrested two men – aged 37 and 30 – at a motel in Lidcombe, about 11.10am yesterday (Monday 21 October 2024).
The two men were taken to Auburn Police Station where the older man was charged with 25 counts of deal with identity information to commit indictable offence, 19 counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception and one count of knowingly deal with proceeds of crime intent to conceal.
The younger man was charged with recklessly deal with proceeds of crime more than $5,000, deal with identity information to commit indictable offence and dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception.
Both men were refused bail to appear before Burwood Local Court today (Tuesday 21 October 2024).
Investigations under Strike Force Avranches continue.
Anyone with information that may assist investigators is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
