Ellen Howard: Cessnock woman used stolen, photoshopped IDs to steal $109,000 in support grants

A Hunter Valley woman who scammed multiple bushfire and COVID grants bragged about her lavish lifestyle, flashing her luxury car and designer bags on social media.

A Hunter Valley woman who posed as a hairdresser, farmer, tyre fitter, florist and cafe owner among other professions to scam almost $110,000 in bushfire and COVID relief payments bragged about her lavish lifestyle online.

 

Ellen Louise Howard, 32, on Wednesday pleaded guilty in Cessnock Local Court to 24 frauds she committed between March and September last year.

Ellen Louise Howard has pleaded guilty to bushfire and COVID relief fraud. Picture: Facebook.

Court documents have for the first time revealed Howard, from Aberdare near Cessnock, used stolen and photoshopped identity documents and the ABNs of businesses she had no connection to.

In doing so she claimed 11 NSW bushfire or COVID business support payments and 13 Victorian lockdown payments.

Howard, who is unemployed and on Centrelink benefits, was not affected by the Black Summer bushfires or COVID lockdowns and has never lived in Victoria.

The staggering series of frauds began in March when Howard made a bushfire grant application, claiming her Cessnock business Ellen’s Hair and Beauty had been destroyed by bushfire.

The address she provided was in fact the home of her former partner, which had been damaged – not destroyed – by a small fire lit during a domestic altercation in December.

Howard’s application was approved and $10,000 was deposited into her bank account.

Ellen Louise Howard will be sentenced in July. Picture: Facebook.

“The closest bushfire at this time was Pelton Rd, 8.2km south of the location, and Kerlew St, 10km north of the location,” police said in court documents.

“In addition, the ignition dates for the bushfires are prior to the date the hair salon was allegedly destroyed.

“The accused is not a hairdresser by trade … Ellen’s Hair and Beauty does not exist and appears to be a fictitious business fabricated for the purpose of obtaining government grants fraudulently.”

The online Service NSW grants process required applicants to upload copies of their identity documents, but those documents were not cross-checked with the ID numbers provided in applications.

Howard went on to claim a further $93,000 from the NSW Government in the following months, using ABNs she created or stole from legitimate businesses.

She posed as the owner of a Nabiac nursery, a Taree cafe and three agriculture businesses to illegally access the money.

In one instance, the business had genuinely been impacted by bushfire and was unable to claim government support because of Howard’s scam.

Ellen Louise Howard (front) leaving Cessnock Court House in May 2021. Picture: Emily Burley.

“On June 11 (2020), the true business owner … attempted to apply for the Service NSW support grant but was rejected due to the accused already receiving the grant using her ABN,” court documents said.

“(The business owner) does not know the accused and did not give her permission to apply for the grant or receive the funds on her behalf.

“As of September 2020, (the business owner) was still not able to receive the government relief payment.”

In August and September, Howard turned her attention south, repeatedly defrauding the Victorian Government by claiming to be a worker affected during the state’s lockdown.

Howard used identity documents stolen from her mother, stepfather, best friend and a number of strangers, as well as photoshopped copies of Medicare cards, to apply for the $450 support payment 13 times.

She lied about working at a number of businesses in the West Gippsland area, including a pharmacy, optometrist and lingerie boutique.

Ellen Louise Howard posted about her lifestyle on Facebook before being charged with a string of bushfire fraud offences. Picture: Supplied.

Howard, who was last month released on bail after being held in custody since November, bragged online about her luxurious lifestyle before she was arrested.

In May, she posted photos to Facebook from a trip to Sydney, where she stayed in a hotel suite with harbour views and treated herself to a Louis Vuitton purse.

In August, she posted a photo of her BMW SUV, which she referred to as “my baby”.

Magistrate Andrew Miller ordered Howard, who was supported in court by a friend on Wednesday, to return for sentencing on July 14.

She has yet to enter pleas to a further 16 fraud offences, having allegedly unsuccessfully applied for another $250,000 in grants.

Ellen Louise Howard posted about her lifestyle on Facebook before being charged with a string of bushfire fraud offences. Picture: Supplied.

EARLIER

Alleged bushfire fraudster denied bail

On December  23, 2020

An Aberdare woman who allegedly defrauded state governments and a charity of more than $100,000 in bushfire and coronavirus relief funds has been denied bail in Cessnock Local Court.

The 31-year-old has been in custody since her arrest on November 27, when she was charged with 16 counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.

The court heard Howard allegedly used multiple bank accounts and email addresses to apply for 34 relief payments between March and September.

She was allegedly granted $104,000, but had applied for a further $258,000.

Ellen Louise Howard will return to court in January. Picture: Facebook.

Court documents revealed Howard had allegedly applied for Service NSW Small Business Support Grants, Service NSW COVID Recovery Grants, Tasmanian COVID-19 Primary Healthcare Grants, an Export Assistance Grant, and St Vincent de Paul Society Bushfire Appeal funds.

On Wednesday, Howard’s lawyer made the bail application on her behalf, telling the court someone else had applied for the grants while pretending to be his client, and she should be released to investigate the matter.

He said the money coming into Howard’s bank account was from online gambling, not relief grants.

But the prosecution argued Howard should remain behind bars due to her long criminal history.

Police prosecutor Creary said police alleged it was Howard and not another person who applied for grants, because Howard had a ledger containing details of aliases and payments on her at the time of her arrest.

“The bushfires were a devastating time,” prosecutor Creary said.

“I can only imagine what it was like for a genuine small business to apply for help and be knocked back because of other fraudulent claims.”

Magistrate Andrew Miller denied the bail application, and said the prosecution had a strong case against Howard.

“If convicted it is inevitable the defendant would serve a significant custodial sentence,” magistrate Miller said.

“Clearly there is a history of fraud and dishonesty.

“There is a real risk of serious offending to continue, serious fraud matters and failure to appear in court.”

Howard will return to court on January 27.