Three Sydney men to face court for allegedly defrauding $3.3 million from NDIS

Three Sydney men will face court over allegations they defrauded more than $3.3 million from the NDIS. They were tracked down by a new government agency ready to “catch any criminal”.

Three men will face court over allegations they defrauded the NDIS of more than $3.3 million after police raided several western Sydney homes early yesterday morning.

Officers from the Australian Federal Police raided three separate residences following an investigation by the Albanese Government’s newly established Fraud Fusion Taskforce.

The taskforce was set up to crack down on fraud in the National Disability Insurance Scheme with a focus on clamping down on serial crooks.

The raids related to alleged fraudulent activity totalling more than $3.3 million.

One man was arrested and charged and the two others were issued with court attendance notices for offences including obtaining financial gain by deception and dealing in the proceeds of crime.

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten. Picture: Alison Wynd

The arrested man was granted conditional bail and will appear in court on April 4. The remaining two will appear on March 21.

The Daily Telegraph understands the charges relate to alleged work and services being undertaken for registered NDIS providers.

New NDIS Minister Bill Shorten at NDIA HQ in Geelong. Picture: Alison Wynd

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten said new information-sharing and greater collaboration between agencies has tightened the net around anyone who attempted to rip off the scheme, which has been beset by cost blowouts since its inception.

“The Fraud Fusion Taskforce is now able to draw on greater cross-agency collaboration, which means wider knowledge and a better ability to detect and catch any criminal who targets the NDIS,” Mr Shorten told The Daily Telegraph.

Minister for Government Services and the NDIS, Bill Shorten, holds a joint press conference with NSW State Minister Victor Dominello in Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ben Symons

“My warning to any criminal attempting to defraud the NDIS – get off our scheme.”

It is alleged the three men were known to one another and either set up or purchased businesses purporting to be disability providers before submitting fake claims for NDIS services that were never provided.

Yesterday’s operations follow another arrest of a Brisbane man last year for allegedly defrauding the scheme of nearly half a million dollars.

The man was arrested upon re-entering the country in June and had been facing one charge of general dishonesty.

However, after further investigations by the National Disability Insurance Agency — which administers the scheme — he is now facing 25 more charges relating to alleged fraudulent activity with a value of more than $430,000.

He will appear in court on March 3.