Nine people with bikie links charged over bushfire assistance fraud

Police have arrested nine people after an alleged bikie-led scheme that scammed $700,000 meant for bushfire victims.

As NSW residents were piecing together their lives after their homes and businesses were ravaged by last summer’s bushfires, a group of bikies were allegedly plotting how to scam the government out of funds meant for victims.

Police have accused nine people with links to outlaw motorcycle gangs of lodging fraudulent claims for bushfire assistance totalling $700,000.

The alleged scammers collected $113,000 in grant money before police put a stop to the scheme this week with a series of early-morning raids against properties in Greater Sydney and the Southern Highlands.

Police will allege in court the suspects created fake companies to apply for small business bushfire funds, even though the people accused had not been affected by the catastrophic Black Summer fires.

Nine people with alleged links to outlaw motorcycle gangs were arrested by NSW police and accused of fraudulent bushfire claims.

“Sadly, the aftermath of this tragedy was many small businesses were severely affected and the federal government funding was established to provide them some relief,” Detective Superintendent Robert Critchlow said.

“Unfortunately, there are segments of society who will choose to use situations such as these to gain personal financial advantage, and not surprisingly on this occasion the alleged offenders have ties to outlaw motorcycle gangs.”

Among the arrested was a 29-year-old man from Wilberforce, northwest of Sydney.

Seven police officers, including agents from the anti-bikie Strike Force Raptor, stepped up on his front porch at 6am on Wednesday, banged the door hard and shouted “Police search warrant, open the door!”

When no one answered, the masked officers forced their way through using a battering ram and charged inside, trailed by a videographer from the police media unit.

The man was charged with three counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception, two counts of publish false misleading material to obtain advantage and knowingly deal with proceeds of crime intent to conceal.

A 32-year-old from Box Hill was among those arrested.

Four other men aged in their early 30s were also arrested during simultaneous raids in Lalor Park, Sackville, Hill Top, and Box Hill.

The Hill Top man, aged 31, was said to be a member of the Rebels bikie gang and was also charged with acquiring ammunition.

Later that afternoon, a 26-year-old South Windsor woman was arrested at the local police station and charged with publish false misleading material to obtain advantage and knowingly deal with proceeds of crime intent to conceal.

Police continued making arrests on Thursday, bringing two women aged 25 and 37 from Westmead and Colebee to face charges related to the alleged scam.

Police seized cash and drugs during the raids on Wednesday and Thursday.

A 25-year-old man from North Richmond was also ordered to attend court over his alleged involvement in the scheme.

Officers from a special strike force named Fireant, which has been investigating the claims since August, also executed search warrants in Mittagong and Marrickville.

Throughout the two days of raids police seized documents, phones, and laptops, and also came across cash and drugs such as ecstasy and ice which were confiscated.

“We will allege that the proceeds from these crimes were used to buy clothing, to fix up cars, to place online gambling bets on internet sites, and most disturbingly to subscribe to online pornography websites,” Superintendent Critchlow said.

Police were still searching for another person who has an outstanding warrant against them.

“We suggest that person comes and sees us,” Superintendent Critchlow said.