How a random breath test led police to Covid grants scheme fraudster Jack Stuart Perrin

Jack Stuart Perrin and associates swindled tens of thousands dollars from a grants scheme set up to help business through the pandemic. Read how an RBT helped identify him.

A random breath test has helped financial crime squad detectives crack one of the largest frauds against a $770 million taxpayer-funded grants scheme.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal how police were able to identify and successfully prosecute ringleader Jack Stuart Perrin — also known as Jack Stuart Douglas — for ripping off the program which was meant to support NSW small businesses through the pandemic lockdowns.

Perrin was also able to be linked to 15 associates, most of whom have now been convicted of recklessly dealing with proceeds of crime.

Court documents explain how a random breath test in 2020 was instrumental in building the case against Perrin and the group, who collectively swindled $168,000.

He was pulled over by an RBT unit at Williamtown and passed, but police then did a saliva test and detected cocaine.

Convicted fraudster Jack Stuart Perrin, also known as Jack Stuart Douglas. Picture: NSW Police

Perrin was arrested, which led to his mobile phone number being recorded.

In 2021, he got a new handset but kept the same SIM and number.

In September that year, Perrin used his phone to apply for a Covid-19 “microbusiness grant” from the NSW government.

The reality, however, was that the only thing he was running was a scam.

“Jack Perrin was on Jobseeker benefits,” police said in a fact sheet The Telegraph obtained from Lismore district court.

Because the aim of the grants scheme was to get money out the door as quickly as possible to save businesses and livelihoods, no checks were done and Perrin was paid the full $10,500 grant.

A Service NSW audit later flagged 13,000 grant applications worth $76m as suspicious. Nearly 9000 were referred to NSW Police. So far about 120 people have been convicted of defrauding the scheme with $13m in dodgy payments recovered.

Five days after his first application, Perrin’s phone was used to seek another grant, this time in the name of Lissa Ariel Araya Arce.

She was paid $10,500 and 24 hours later she transferred $2000 to Perrin.

Within a week, a further application was made from Perrin’s phone in the name of Gavin Mitchell Roger McInnes.

He was ineligible. Still, he got the full grant then paid Perrin $2500.

Rebecca Stanford (left) and Gavin McInnes were both involved in the scheme. Picture: Facebook page

Three weeks later, Perrin’s phone was used to apply for a grant in the name of McInnes’ girlfriend, Rebecca Leigh Stanford.

She was not entitled to get the money either. But she got it.

Stanford transferred $3600 to McInnes, who then sent $3900 to Perrin.

Perrin was arrested in November last year. He was charged with 16 counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.

“The accused criminally exploited the business grant support package and the community for his own greed,” police told the court.

Perrin — who has a history of obtaining money by deception — pleaded guilty.

In April, Lismore local court sentenced him to 20 months in jail with a non-parole period of 10 months.

Perrin appealed the sentence in the Lismore District Court, which changed the punishment to an intensive correction order (ICO) served in the community. It began in May and expires in December next year. He was also ordered to repay the grant.

Araya Arce and Stanford were convicted of single counts of recklessly dealing with proceeds of crime and sentenced to community correction orders. They, too, were ordered to repay the grants. At least nine other people have received similar punishments.

McInnes has pleaded guilty to three charges of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and other offences. He is due to be sentenced next month.

Last month The Telegraph revealed a Bankstown couple had been jailed after attempting to defraud the grants scheme of $237,000.

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