Third man charged over $622,000 invoice fraud in NSW education corruption probe

Financial Crime Squad detectives have charged a third man over alleged fraud and corruption offences against the NSW Department of Education under Strike Force Heidi.

Financial Crimes Squad charge third man in Department of Education scam. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

A third man has been charged over an alleged fraudulent scheme in which more than $622,000 rorted from the NSW Department of Education, as part of an ongoing financial crime investigation.

Strike Force Heidi detectives arrested the 55-year-old at Bankstown Police Station shortly before 9am on Wednesday, charging him with dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and 26 counts of corruptly offering benefits to an agent.

The arrest follows a probe into fraudulent building and maintenance claims at schools in Guildford and Revesby, where a department employee allegedly mismanaged funds intended for school works.

Police allege the arrested man assisted in creating inflated invoices between November 2021 and November 2022, securing payments that were fraudulently claimed from the department.

Of the $622,000 involved, investigators say the man received approximately $352,262.

His arrest follows charges laid in December 2024 against two other men, including a building company director, who are accused of facilitating the false claims.

The man was granted conditional bail and is due to appear at Parramatta Local Court on April 3.

Strike Force Heidi, launched in April 2024 by the State Crime Command’s Financial Crime Squad in collaboration with the NSW Department of Education, continues to investigate corruption within the department.

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