Two Victorian men were today (19 September, 2024) sentenced by the Dandenong Magistrates Court for using inside information to bet on the winner of three Australian of the Year Awards.
The men, both 39, from Mornington and Mount Martha, were charged in June 2023 as part of Operation Maridun, an AFP-led multi-agency investigation into irregular betting on the awards.
Investigators found the Mornington man, then an employee of a Commonwealth Government-owned corporation, had been advised of the names of the Australian of the Year each year between 2017 and 2019 before they were released publicly.
He then passed that information to the Mount Martha man, who placed 48 bets worth $2469 on the outcome of the awards using five online betting accounts.
The pair netted $9363 in winnings.
At an earlier hearing on 1 August, 2024, the Mornington man pleaded guilty to one count of abuse of public office, contrary to section 142.2(a)(iii) of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
The Mount Martha man pleaded guilty to one count of aiding, abetting, counselling, or procuring offences of abuse of public office, contrary to sections 11.2 and 142.2(a)(iii) of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
The men were fined $4000 each, had their convictions recorded and were ordered to pay court costs.
The maximum penalty for each of the offences is five years' imprisonment.
Operation Maridun began in February 2021 after the National Australia Day Council raised concerns with the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) about a considerable move in betting towards that year's eventual winner.
The ACIC provided a report to the AFP and Operation Maridun commenced.
In January 2024, the AFP charged a Sydney man, 48, for using inside information to win $7542 on the Australian of the Year awards between 2017 and 2021.
His matter was referred to the NSW Mental Health Review Tribunal for assessment.
There is no link between the Victorian and NSW offenders.
No Australian of the Year award winners were suspected or involved in wrongdoing.
AFP Commander Matthew Gale said the misuse of confidential information for financial gain represented a serious breach of trust.
"The Australian people have a right to expect that public servants act with integrity and fairness at all times," Commander Gale said.
"The criminality exposed by Operation Maridun undermines public confidence in our institutions and creates doubt about the legitimacy of important awards like the Australian of the Year.
"The AFP and ACIC, with the support of Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) data, were meticulous and thorough in following the money trail that led us to the persons of interest.
"Their tenacity should serve as a warning to anyone else who is considering committing similar offences."
Operation Maridun has now concluded.
The AFP's Special Investigations teams undertake complex and protracted investigations into matters of serious criminality such as the unauthorised storage, communication, use or disclosure of official information.
They also take carriage of matters involving espionage and foreign interference, serious harm to Australians offshore such as murder and manslaughter, electoral fraud, war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, politically sensitive investigations and non-terror related kidnappings for ransom.
