A fraud organization in Australia that falsely claimed to have been sexually assaulted and demanded compensation worth 1.3 billion Australian dollars (about 1.2 trillion KRW) from government agencies has been uncovered, with a total of seven people urgently arrested. They are suspected of inducing former juvenile offenders, inmates, and public school students to file false sexual violence compensation claims against the government.
According to the Australian daily The Sydney Morning Herald on the 13th (local time), the criminal organization known as 'claims farmers' used law firms to fraudulently claim large sums of compensation from the New South Wales (NSW) Department of Justice and Department of Education before being arrested by the police.
On that day, the NSW Police and the anti-gang special unit 'Raptor' executed search warrants across Sydney and the Gold Coast, arresting four men and three women suspected of criminal activities.
Among those arrested was 55-year-old Fortis Antonios, residing in Girrawheen, western Sydney, whom the police identified as the leader of the criminal organization.
According to the police statement, the suspects, including Antonios, contacted former juvenile offenders, inmates, and public school students and coached them to file false compensation claims alleging 'child sexual abuse in protective facilities.' They then taught these false victims the compensation claim procedures and carried out fraud by filing nearly 4,000 lawsuits using several law firms in Sydney.
The police found that each of them profited financially from each claim, and if the final compensation approval was granted, they could have received up to 3.75 million dollars. Most of the claims amounting to a total of 1.3 billion dollars are believed to be false. In fact, as the police investigation tightened, many of the claims they pursued have been halted.
Antonios is scheduled to appear at the Parramatta Local Court on 21 charges including fraud, forgery, and instructing others. Those arrested together include a 53-year-old woman arrested in Granville, a 32-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman arrested in Pendle Hill, a 42-year-old man arrested in Gladesville, and a 52-year-old woman arrested in Horsley. Additionally, a 23-year-old man was arrested at Mermaid Beach in Queensland.
All suspects are scheduled to appear in court next month. Meanwhile, the police raided a law firm in Sydney and have announced that further arrests are expected.
Jung Dong-chul, Hanho Times Reporter
※This article was written using content provided by Hanho Times (www.hanhotimes.com).
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