Five people appear in court over $3.8m child care fraud

An accused ringleader of an almost $4 million child care racket has fronted court alongside five mothers allegedly involved in the alleged elaborate fraud.

Alee Farmann, 49, of Georges Hall did not enter a plea when he appeared at Bankstown Local Court today charged with knowingly direct activities of a criminal group between July 2 last year and May 8.

Police will allege 150 parents signed up to the fake business Red Roses Family Day Care with each falsely claiming federal subsidies for looking after between three and seven children. Police will claim that none of the children, however, were in family day care.

Alee Farmann arrives at Bankstown court. Picture John Grainger

It’s alleged parents would sign their children up for care at another syndicate member’s home while they themselves claimed government subsidies for other children who they never cared.

The syndicate is alleged to have scammed $3.8 million with one woman found with $35,000 in her handbag when arrested at her south Granville home

Mr Farmann, who drives a Range Rover, is alleged to have pocketed $60,000 a month.

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Police will allege the group went to great lengths to look legitimate keeping photographs of children they claimed were in care and staging fake play areas.

Earlier this month police conducted 20 raids on homes across south west Sydney arresting 18 people.

Zainab Al Mansure one of the co-accused in the child care fraud scheme.

Five women also appeared at Bankstown Local Court today.

Married mother of two Fatme Hafez El Sayed Ahmed, 41, of Chester Hill did not enter a plea to participating in a criminal group.

Bass Hill woman Heba el Wazzy, 43, a married mother of three did not enter a plea to knowingly direct activities of a criminal group.

Married mother of three, Aulla Alzoubi, 40, of Bass Hill — who is pregnant with her fourth child — did not enter a plea to a charge of participate in a criminal group.

Greenacre woman Diana Farhat, 39, who has three children, did not enter a plea to a charge of participate in a criminal group.

Mother of one, Zainab Al Mansure, 23, of Chester Hill did not enter a plea to one charge of participate in a criminal group.

All six people are on bail and are banned from owning more than one phone and not having contact with anyone involved in Red Roses Family Day Care.

They are also banned from providing childcare service or employment under any government benefit care scheme including NDIS, aged care, disability care.

Their cases were adjourned to Liverpool Local Court on July 8.