‘Scared for my life’: Alleged Covid-19 fraudster Bella Gill arrested after dodging court
A woman allegedly involved in large-scale fraud syndicate, which police claim swindled more than $1.3 million in Covid-19 and flood support payment, secured bail to an Illawarra address.
Illawarra Star
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A woman police allege was part of a lucrative Covid-19 scam and dodged court has been bailed to an address in Berkeley.
Bella Gill was charged with dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and participating in a criminal group, and was set down to front Newtown Local Court in June, last year.
However, the 21-year-old missed the court date leading to a further charge of failing to appear and a warrant for her arrest being issued.
Defence lawyer Emel Ozer told the court Gill had not “gone into detail” about why she didn’t attend court, however, she was ”scared for her life” which resulted in her moving to the Illawarra where she was living with her brother in Berkeley.
The court heard there were “about 40” co accused embroiled in the alleged syndicate with the matter having a special prosecutor assigned to it.
Ibrahim Hawat is the alleged ringleader, with Burwood Local Court hearing last year the Chester Hill man was involved in fraudulently obtaining $1.3 million in Covid-19 and flood support payments.
The father-of-seven, who is yet to enter a plea, remains in custody on remand having been charged with knowingly directing a criminal group, three counts of dealing with identity information to commit an indictable offence and eight counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.
Zaman Haidary and Ashraf Khoder are also co-accused in the matter. with the pair both yet to enter a plea to more than 100 charges including dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and publishing false or misleading material to obtain advantage.
Hawat, Haidary and Khoder will all appear in Burwood Local Court on Wednesday, January 11.
Registrar Tina McKenna granted Gill bail while ordering her not to contact any of the co accused and to report to Lake Illawarra Command three times a week.
Gill will return to Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday, January 10.
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