14 stories this week:
Two charged over alleged $3.5 million self-managed superannuation fraud – Strike Force Gulgin – 23 March 2023
A man and a woman have been charged with 84 offences after allegedly defrauding several clients of $3.5 million in a self-managed super fund scheme. It is alleged Police will allege in court that the pair, who were accountants based in Sydney, established self-managed super funds on behalf of more than 20 people before allegedly misappropriating about $3.5 million between 2007 and 2020.
Australia Dismantles BEC Group That Laundered $1.7 Million – 27 March 2023
The AFP announced the arrest of four individuals accused of laundering more than $1.7 million from BEC attacks, Facebook marketplace scams, and fraudulent superannuation investments. The suspects, two men and two women, are charged with possessing and producing false documents, dishonestly dealing in personal financial information, and dealing in proceeds of crime.
https://www.securityweek.com/australia-dismantles-bec-group-that-laundered-1-7-million/
Australia: Workplace surveillance and employee monitoring on the rise – 28 March 2023
Workplace surveillance involves monitoring and collecting data on what employees are doing, typically via software installed on their computers. Article tackles questions such as: Is workplace surveillance legal in Australia?; Is it legal to monitor or record phone calls or videos in Australian workplaces?; Does workplace surveillance lead to higher productivity?; and does workplace surveillance can damage morale and culture?
Shipping container scams on the rise, as ACCC calls on providers like Facebook to act – 28 March 2023
The ACCC said consumers lost $1.8 million to shipping container scams in 2022, with 499 incidents reported. The scammers impersonate real Australian companies online. Now the ACCC wants Facebook and other platforms to take more responsibility for shutting scams down.
Banks should not pick up entire $4b scam tab, minister says – 28 March 2023
Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones opposes a “blanket rule” that banks be required to fund scam recovery. Stating that, if they they’ve met that standard, and done what they can, they shouldn’t still end up with the bill. Advocacy groups including the Consumer Action Law Centre have called for banks to be liable for losses incurred by customers who are scammed and for banks to invest more heavily in fraud prevention.
ASIC investigates ASX for CHESS breaches – 29 March 2023
The corporate regulator is investigating whether the ASX and its directors and officers have breached their legal obligations during the bungled CHESS replacement project. Chess is the system used to record transactions on the financial markets. The investigation would focus on oversight of the CHESS replacement program and statements and disclosures made by, or on behalf of, ASX as to the “status of the program”.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/share-market-operator-probed-bungled-231043775.html
FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried charged under US law with bribing Chinese officials in new indictment – 29 March 2023
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried has been charged with directing $US40 million ($59.6 million) in bribes to one or more Chinese officials to unfreeze assets relating to his cryptocurrency business. He has pleaded not guilty to 8 of the 13 counts he faces. He was previously charged with eight criminal violations, ranging from wire fraud to money laundering to conspiracy to commit fraud.
Former Courgette chef James Mussillon described as ‘socially incompetent’ in money laundering case – 29 March 2023
Reknown Canberra chef, James Mussillon has pleaded guilty to money laundering, perjury and obtaining property by deception.
The court heard he paid fake wages to another man who did not actually work at Courgette Restaurant. A psychiatrist has diagnosed Mussillon with autism and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Supreme Court of Queensland bans Gladstone man Surendra Raghoobar from practising law – 29 March 2023
The Supreme Court of Queensland has banned Gladstone’s Surendra Raghoobar from practising law after it found he engaged in legal practice despite not being an Australian legal practitioner. Mr Raghoobar, claimed he did not provide legal services and was only assisting clients with tasks like proofreading and editing documents.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-29/gladstone-man-banned-practising-law/102157798
Why ATO whistleblower Richard Boyle will face criminal tria – 30 March 2023
A court has ruled that Richard Boyle, the man who blew the whistle on “intimidating” debt collection tactics by the Australian Taxation Office is not protected from criminal action because he failed to disclose crucial evidence at the right time.
Whistleblower ruling ‘makes it harder for Australians to speak up’
Kieran Pender, senior lawyer at the Human Rights Law Centre, said the decision was “catastrophic for Australian whistleblowers” and would “make it harder for Australians to speak up about human rights violations, government wrongdoing and corporate misdeeds”.
Senator Andrew Bragg proposes private bill to regulate cryptocurrency services – 30 March 2023
The proposed Digital Assets (Market Regulation) Bill 2023 aims to protect consumers and promote investment by recommending regulatory changes for stablecoins, licensing of exchanges and custody requirements. If passed, the bill would require a licence from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission or a foreign licence for anyone operating a cryptocurrency exchange, custody service or stablecoin issuer in Australia.
Canberra man jailed for complex fraud linked to organised crime – 31 March 2023
A Canberra man has been jailed for his role in an elaborate $13 million fraud with links to transnational and serious organised crime groups and after receiving $136,535 for his role in the scheme. A coordinated investigation of a transnational and serious organised criminal syndicate allegedly using labour hire and payroll companies associated with the building and construction industry to defraud the Commonwealth.
Donald Trump indicted by Manhattan grand jury on more than 30 counts related to business fraud – 31 March 2023
Donald Trump faces more than 30 counts related to business fraud in an indictment from a Manhattan grand jury, according to two sources familiar with the case – the first time in American history that a current or former president has faced criminal charges.
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/30/politics/donald-trump-indictment/index.html
