NDIS raids: $8m in luxury homes allegedly paid for by ‘gutless’ rip-off of disabled

These are the McMansions that government investigators suspect have been paid for by robbing the NDIS. Three key suspects, who control a combined seven NDIS businesses, collectively own properties worth more than $8.3m.

These are the million-dollar luxury homes that government investigators suspect have been paid for by robbing the NDIS.

It can be revealed three key suspects, who control a combined seven NDIS businesses, collectively own seven properties worth more than $8.3m that are now at risk of further action by the federal government’s Fusion Taskforce.

The suspects and their properties were the target of major raids across Western Sydney last month.

The crack team of federal investigators will now forensically examine the purchases of the properties as part of their probe into suspected criminal networks claiming more than $28m in NDIS payments.

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten told The Saturday Telegraph he was amazed by the “depravity of degenerates stealing from profoundly disabled Australians to purchase McMansions with koi ponds, saunas and games rooms”.

Properties owned by people being investigated by Fusion Taskforce.

“If we find any property purchased by stealing from the NDIS we will recover any money that we possibly can,” Mr Shorten said.

“We have kids in Australia who are quadriplegics who need 24-hour assistance just to eat, breathe, wash themselves, but instead we have people taking their money.

“I don’t want NDIS participants to be the fall guys.

“Thank goodness we have established the fraud Fusion Taskforce because if we hadn’t, people would still be plotting schemes to take money meant for those people.

Collectively the seven properties are worth more than $8.3m.

“Crime against the NDIS scheme is a gutless crime.”

A suspect in the initial raid on July 2 owns two properties in Western Sydney valued at more than $2.5m, including a $1.2m four-bedroom home featuring a heated in-ground pool, a pergola and BBQ area, luxury bathroom with a spa, a games room and CCTV security.

The suspect also owns another four-bedroom home purchased for $1.425m that features four living areas, two kitchens, four bathrooms and multiple outdoor living areas.

One of the suspects from the July 2 raid. Picture: Jeremy Piper

A close associate of the suspect at the centre of the July 2 raids owns another $1.4m property in southwest Sydney, comprising a detached house with a separate granny flat, which collectively boasts six bedrooms and four bathrooms.

The close associate has splashed out almost $150,000 renovating the property.

The two individuals in question have been collectively involved in a web of almost 20 different companies over the years, under different variations of their names, including a registered charity.

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

In the most recent raid two weeks ago, one key suspect owns several homes worth almost $3.5m, and is the director, shareholder and secretary of 14 different companies under variations of his name.

One of the investment properties was acquired 12 months ago for $1.375m for development as supported accommodation for NDIS participants — a proposal which was described as a “money-making machine”.

Another investment property is valued at approximately $835,000, while a six bedroom mansion is worth $1.28m.

An associate of that suspect, also under investigation, owns a property worth more than $800,000.

Investigators conducted raids on several properties last month and sources say forensic specialists are combing through the mountain of documents and electronic records seized to determine the extent of the alleged fraud and gather up evidence to support potential criminal prosecutions.

The suspects are being investigated for allegedly skimming NDIS funding from genuine participants without their knowledge, by giving false invoices for services not provided.

Investigators are also looking into NDIS funding being claimed for people who do not have a genuine disability or have an inflated disability, and for claims the suspects are conspiring with NDIS participants or their families and other “subcontracted” NDIS service providers to obtain funds they are not entitled to.

Sources say the targets are being investigated for tax fraud, money laundering, dealing with the proceeds of crime and general dishonesty offences.

If convicted, they could face decades in prison.

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