ATMs linked to illicit tobacco trade and fraudster in Australia – 10 August 2025
NCR Atleos has placed Cashzone ATMs in stores linked to Australia’s illegal tobacco trade, despite the company’s claims of high ethical standards and compliance with laws. The ATMs are fueling the sale of contraband cigarettes, and the tie is the latest found in an ABC investigation examining how private ATM suppliers are supporting the illicit tobacco trade.
Quarter of poker machines in NSW clubs could be susceptible to money laundering, agency says – 11 August 2025
A quarter of poker machines in NSW clubs could be at risk of money laundering and terrorism financing, the nation’s financial crimes intelligence agency says.
The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre says a program monitoring the machines run by BetSafe “systemically failed” to meet its legal obligations.
It comes as the agency turns its attention to clubs after successfully prosecuting several casinos across the country.
Truck driver ordered to pay more than $80,000 after compensation fraud – 11 August 2025
A Melbourne truck driver, 41, must pay more than $80,000 after pleading guilty to a single charge of fraudulently obtaining payments from employers. The court heard he continued driving for multiple companies while receiving weekly compensation (for anxiety, depression etc) until May 2023, when surveillance determined he was self-employed and the payments were terminated on grounds of fraud.
AI chatbots accused of encouraging teen suicide as experts sound alarm – 12 August 2025
An investigation by triple j hack has uncovered allegations of young people in Australia being sexually harassed and even encouraged to take their own life by AI chatbots. AI experts are calling on the government to introduce legislation to better regulate AI chatbots to protect young and vulnerable people.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-12/how-young-australians-being-impacted-by-ai/105630108
KPMG, Deloitte, PwC exit 35 professionals over misconduct – 12 August 2025
Three of the big four consulting firms – KPMG, Deloitte and PwC – have exited 35 staff for misconduct, including sexual harassment and data breaches. The firms began disclosing misconduct complaints, with different reporting methods and varied transparency, after a series of reports in The Australian Financial Review detailed how they handled sexual harassment and other issues.
Access to digital version of AFR required to read full article
NAB and AFSH penalised $15.5 million for failing customers facing financial hardship – 13 August 2025
The Federal Court has ordered National Australia Bank (NAB) and its subsidiary, AFSH Nominees Pty Ltd (AFSH), to pay a pecuniary penalty of $15.5 million for failing to respond to customers facing hardship. The Court found that between 2018 and 2023, NAB and AFSH failed to respond to 345 hardship applications within the 21-day timeframe required by law. As a result, those consumers remained unaware of the outcome of their hardship applications.
Another PwC former partner deregistered for integrity breaches – 13 August 2025
A former PricewaterhouseCoopers partner has been deregistered as a tax agent for dodgy practices and false declarations while he was with the firm. The Tax Practitioners Board has terminated the registration of Richard Gregg and imposed a four-year ban prohibiting him from re-applying for a tax agent licence due to having breached multiple obligations under the Tax Agent Services Act 2009 and the Code of Professional Conduct. The ATO determined the clients affected by Mr Gregg’s conduct had a cumulative tax shortfall of more than $11 million.
https://region.com.au/another-pwc-former-partner-deregistered-for-integrity-breaches/894156/
Victorian childcare worker retained Working with Children Check despite being blacklisted – 13 August 2025
A string of regulatory failings saw a Victorian childcare worker retain his Working with Children Check — despite being blacklisted from the industry after an investigation found he was grooming toddlers. The saga raises questions about whether the bodies that oversee the troubled sector missed opportunities to intervene earlier. Hours after the ABC published its investigation into the case on Wednesday, the state government said it was moving to cancel the man’s Working with Children Check.
Superfund charged dead members: ASIC – 14 August 2025
Mercer Super is being sued for “serious member service issues”, including failing to refund dead people’s insurance premiums, the consumer watchdog alleges. The reviews investigated how funds had not being refunded correctly after a member had died, how members’ accounts were not being created with default insurance and how updates to members’ information were not being processed by the trustee.
https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/super-fund-charged-dead-members-014638452.html
Increased harm: The crimes nearly half of Australians have fallen victim to – 14 August 2025
A report from the Australian Institute of Criminology found identity theft accounted for more than one in five victims (22 per cent), while fraudsters and scammers duped almost one in 10 (9.5 per cent). Some of the respondents either paid money or provided sensitive information to a scammer offering them either the false promise of an inheritance, share in a large sum of money or a holiday package in exchange for their help. The Cybercrime in Australia 2024 report also showed 27 per cent were targeted with online abuse or harassment, which is classified as a cybercrime.
Former Genius Childcare boss Darren Misquitta pleads guilty to dealing with suspected proceeds of crime – 14 August 2025
Darren Misquitta, former boss of Genius Childcare, has pleaded guilty to dealing with property reasonably suspected of being the proceeds of crime. A court heard he received $120,000 in suspected proceeds of crime from a business associate. It comes amid investigations into the childcare centre, which owes creditors more than $80 million.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-14/genius-childcare-darren-misquitta-guilty-plea/105653390
UK police say 146 victims have come forward during Mohamed Al Fayed sexual offences probe – 14 August 2025
British police say 146 people are now being treated as victims of late Harrods boss and Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al Fayed. That is a substantial increase on figures provided in previous updates by the Metropolitan Police. Authorities say they are investigating whether any misconduct or corruption was involved in facilitating or enabling Al Fayed’s abuse.
19 arrested for allegedly stealing $10 million worth of baby formula and other items – 15 August 2025
Police say they’ve dismantled an alleged major retail theft syndicate that allegedly stole more than $10 million worth of products from Melbourne supermarkets in a five-month period. The items stolen include baby formula, medicine, vitamins and electric toothbrushes. The investigation is ongoing and further arrests are anticipated.
