Lurnea dad Saif Nafel hacked NT Government for $3.5 million

A computer literate dad from Western Sydney allegedly stole $3.5 million from the Northern Territory Government. Here’s how police say he did it.

A Western Sydney dad allegedly hacked into the Northern Territory government’s computer systems and tricked its employees into paying him $3.5m.

Australian Federal Police investigators allege in tendered court documents that Saif Nafel executed a sophisticated email hacking technique to fleece the NT government of the millions that were intended to be spent on an Aboriginal housing project.

The 38-year-old from Lurnea allegedly carried out the con by sending emails with malicious attachments or links to government employees that, once opened, allowed him to gain access to their computer system.

Police allege Nafel hacked into the NT Government’s emails

Police allege Nafel then monitored internal communications and became aware of the patterns of when the government paid contractor invoices.

He allegedly impersonated one of the legitimate contractors by setting up a shelf company and bank accounts with a similar name.

According to court documents, the contractor was Bukmak Construction, which bills the government about $3m a month for a five-year contract to build 87 houses.

Ahmed Dib is a high-profile criminal lawyer. Picture: Supplied

Nafel allegedly set up a company called Bukmak Construction Group and sent the government an invoice for $3.5m, which was paid to a bank account he controlled in November, the documents said.

The 38-year-old was arrested at his Lurnea home on Wednesday after an investigation by AFP detectives.

He was charged with recklessly dealing with more than $1m that was the proceeds of crime and was granted bail in Liverpool Local Court.

Nafel was captured on CCTV allegedly attempting to withdraw some of the stolen money.

High profile lawyer Ahmed Dib said, “My client is obviously pleased with the successful bail application and we are happy he can be with his family while we wait for the brief of evidence to be served.”

Bukmak Construction has two contracts with the NT government, including the 87 house Galiwin’ku Housing project on Echo Island and aerodrome maintenance and reporting at Gapuwiak.

The court documents said Nafel sent an email to government employees on November 7 instructing them to update the bank details, resulting in the monthly invoice of $3.5m being paid into his account.

Nafael allegedly came unstuck when investigators uncovered several mistakes.

Investigators from ANZ bank froze the allegedly stolen money after noticing suspicious transfers and returned all of the money, except for $11,603, to the NT government.

Nafel will attend Liverpool Local Court on September 17.