Cops charged in ‘most serious’ AFP fraud, corruption probe
A group of AFP officers have been charged over allegations they helped themselves to police assets and misused credit cards.
National
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A group of Australian Federal Police officers have been charged over a widening corruption investigation in which cops allegedly used police assets like their own personal “Bing Lee” store – helping themselves to white goods and other items.
A Senate Estimates hearing has been told five AFP officers are facing charges before the courts as a result of Operation Nambung – an inquiry into the biggest corruption investigation to hit the national police force in decades.
AFP Acting Deputy Commissioner Lesa Gale revealed during the Senate hearing three officers were charged during the last financial year and another two officers were charged just weeks ago following a more than two year-long investigation.
Dep Commissioner Gale also told the hearing five police officers had resigned during the investigation and a sixth officer was sacked.
Under questioning from Greens Senator David Shoebridge, AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw agreed the alleged frauds included fridges, microwaves, credit card fraud all taken from the AFP.
“They basically treated the AFP like their own personal Bing Lee store didn’t they?” Senator Shoebridge said. “It was like a free access to Bing Lee paid for by the AFP.”
Commissioner Kershaw told the hearing, “I think they committed criminal offences – simple.”
At the centre of the Operation Nambung scandal was a bold scam allegedly siphoning off AFP assets, misusing credit cards as well as Australian Defence Force-funded assets for personal use including a 4WD Pajero worth more than $50,000.
It is the most serious fraud and corruption investigation into the AFP since the secretive Harrison inquiry in the 1990s which led to the sacking of seven AFP officers but the details always remained under wraps.
Commissioner Kershaw told the hearing they did not have to hand the specific allegations regarding the total amount of assets stolen and credit card fraud involved nor all the details of how long it was known to have gone on, but would provide to the Senate a more “fulsome” report on notice.
Deputy Commissioner Gale told the hearing the investigation began in 2019 in relation to the alleged misuse of an ADF vehicle and further inquiries revealed the extent of the alleged frauds.
When News Corp broke the story, AFP sources revealed they were warned not to talk about the investigation “in case it sparks a royal commission” into the wider activities of AFP some officers.
Deputy Commissioner Gale said “we treated this matter with the utmost of seriousness. It was referred to the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity (the AFP watchdog) for investigation.”
The AFP said ACLEI was the lead agency investigating the alleged corruption.
Originally published as Cops charged in ‘most serious’ AFP fraud, corruption probe
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