Chinese nationals accused of laundering money for roof scam
Two Chinese nationals are in custody after allegedly laundering money for Irish tradesmen involved in a fraudulent roofing scam.
Two Chinese nationals are in custody after allegedly laundering money for Irish tradesmen involved in a fraudulent roofing scam.
NSW Police has been investigating the group since last year after receiving reports about elderly and vulnerable homeowners being convinced to hand over thousands of dollars for roof repairs that were never finished.
The money allegedly defrauded was then laundered through financial institutions across Sydney.
On Friday afternoon, police arrested the figures allegedly behind the laundering - a 26-year-old man and a 28-year-old man at Ashfield and Brookvale respectively.
The Chinese nationals were charged with recklessly dealing with proceeds of crime and due to appear in Parramatta Bail Court today.
Police also raided a home in Merrylands where they found illegally imported cigarettes.
Police allege the men were laundering money on behalf of the roofing scam syndicate, which included three Irish nationals arrested last month.
It is alleged they were targeting elderly homeowners under the guise of carrying out roof repairs.
According to police, one instance involved three men turning up at the home of a 72-year-old man in Bexley in Sydney’s south west.
The elderly man responded to a flyer in his letter box and paid the men tens of thousands of dollars for work that left holes in his roof.
In March this year, police charged the three Irish nationals, aged 20, 22 and 20, over the alleged roof scamming operation.
All three men were preparing to leave the country with one of the 20-year-olds arrested before he boarded a flight from Sydney to the United Kingdom.
When police searched his luggage, they discovered large amounts of case and jewellery.
He was charged with aggravated break and enter.
The 22-year-old was arrested two days later at Sydney airport as he tried to board a flight to Qatar and he also had cash and jewellery in his luggage.
He was charged with fraud and proceeds of crime offences.
The other 20-year-old was arrested at Melbourne airport trying to board a flight to China.
He was charged with fraud offences and extradited to NSW.
The cases are still before the court.
‘It’s so easy’: TikTok trend inspires teen girls to shoplift
A new trend is luring teenage girls into stealing hundreds of dollars worth of clothes, jewellery and makeup then bragging about their ‘hauls’ on social media.
Near miss: Track-hopping roos saved from oncoming train
A quick-thinking rail employee saved two kangaroos when he noticed them hopping along the tracks at a Sydney station as an oncoming train approached. Watch the video.