Kimberly Ahsee: Dubbo woman charged with fraud offences

A mum charged with collecting more than $65,000 meant for Covid-hit businesses and mouse plague victims is expected to fight fraud charges, a court has heard.

A Dubbo mother-of-three charged with dishonestly obtaining more than $65,000 in grants, intended to support businesses shattered by Covid and mouse plague victims, is expected to plead not guilty.

Police raided the home of Kimberly Hope Ahsee on October 13 after officers were tasked with catching alleged fraudsters who were believed to have taken advantage of generous government grant programs meant to support people in need.

Dubbo woman Kimberly Ah-See has been charged with a string of fraud offences. Picture: Kimberly Ahsee/Facebook

Documents, electronic devices and 24 buprenorphine strips were allegedly seized from Ms Ahsee’s home and she was charged with possessing a prohibited drug and dishonestly obtaining $10,500 in Covid financial assistance.

According to court documents, Ms Ahsee’s bid for bail was knocked back and she was remanded in custody.

Police continued to investigate her alleged activities and on October 29, Ms Ahsee was charged with a further nine fraud offences.

The bulk of the grants Ms Ahsee allegedly obtained were to the value of $10,500 each, however three believed to be linked to mouse plague grants were worth $500.

In court documents, police said the alleged offences occurred on multiple dates between August and October 2021.

According to Australian Business Register data, Ms Ahsee is the owner of a Reverie Beauty, for which an ABN became active on October 2.

Ms Ahsee appeared briefly in Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday, via audiovisual link from Bathurst jail.

Defence lawyer Simon Colyer told the court Ms Ahsee was pleading not guilty to the first fraud charge and he was unaware nine new charges had been laid.

No plea was entered for the possess prohibited drug charge.

“The new charges were not made known to the Aboriginal Legal Service,” Mr Colyer said.

“The problem we now have is that we have been unable to get through to Bathurst to have a conversation with Ms Ahsee.”

After further work was undertaken throughout the day, Mr Colyer returned to court to ask for the case to be adjourned to November 8.

“I suspect it will be pleas of not guilty to the remaining charges but we’ll confirm that on Monday morning,” he told the court.

Magistrate Gary Wilson adjourned the case to Monday.