Stephen Hancock pleads guilty to charges of bushfire relief fund fraud
A Belmont South man used a bushfire ravaged property, north-west of Kempsey, to fraudulently apply for bushfire relief grants.
Newcastle
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A Belmont South man took photos of a family’s bushfire-ravaged property, before the rubble was removed, in an elaborate plan to scam the NSW Government out of tens of thousands of dollars.
Stephen Gregory Hancock, 37, targeted a Willawarrin property, north-west of Kempsey, last year after it had been destroyed by a ferocious bushfire in November 2019.
Couple Jamie Zaia and Anita Reeves and their three kids, lost everything in the blaze that ripped through their small town, only to then find out they had unwittingly become the victims of a bushfire scam.
They only became aware of the fraud when they were alerted by Strike Force Roche detectives, which had been established to investigate a group of offenders who were allegedly committing fraud against Service NSW by claiming bushfire relief grants they weren’t entitled to.
Police facts said Hancock used the property to claim $50,000 for an online small business bushfire recovery grant, and was also involved in other frauds against the government department between April and July last year, totalling $110,000.
He also attempted to scam $10,000 from the grants scheme, which was scheduled to be deposited into his Westpac bank account, but never made it.
Police raided Hancock’s home in November last year and he was arrested and charged.
In Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday Hancock appeared in person as his solicitor Iain Bruce entered pleas of guilty to three counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception; one charge of attempting to do so and another charge of knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime.
Court documents revealed in June Hancock purchased a a CNC (computer numerical control) milling machine, which was shipped from China to his residence in Belmont, costing more than $12,000.
An application was made to have the matters referred to the drug court.
Hancock will return to court on May 24.
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