Two people from western Sydney were jailed in connection with a $1.5 million National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) fraud attempt.
The NSW District Court sentenced a 42-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman to four years and nine months imprisonment following an investigation into fraudulent claims to the NDIS.
According to investigators, an organised crime syndicate allegedly controlled registered NDIS providers to fraudulently claim over $1.5 million in payments from 68 people from October 2017 to May 2019.
The NDIS Fraud Taskforce’s investigation in May 2019 resulted in the arrest of five members of the syndicate. They were charged with a range of fraud and proceeds of crime offences, with a sixth person also due to appear in court on related charges.
“It’s appalling that people are willing to steal directly from the pockets of Australians living with a disability, denying people the crucial support offered by the NDIS,” said Australian Federal Police Superintendent Mel Phelan, as reported by The Australian.
“Today’s outcome shows that such greed for a short-term profit will result in long-term consequences – such as a prison sentence, a criminal record, and losing the profits of your crimes.”
