CBA calls in police, $1 billion in fraudulent loans as banks battle AI forgeries – 27 February 2026
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia has alerted police about a potential sophisticated fraud involving up to $1 billion in fraudulent home loans using advanced AI generated forgeries — possibly the largest banking fraud in Australian history.
New York businesswoman sentenced to nine years for $30m political finance scheme – 28 February 2026
A New York businesswoman was sentenced Friday to nine years in federal prison over a financial scheme that ripped off more than $30m from foreign investors and funnelled some of the stolen money into US political campaigns, including a Donald Trump fundraiser during his first presidency.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/27/new-york-businesswoman-finance-scheme-sentence
IBAC apologises to family violence victim for mishandling complaints about Victoria Police – 2 March 2026
Victoria’s anti-corruption watchdog has publicly apologised to a family violence victim for how it handled her complaints about Victoria Police.
Commissioner Victoria Elliott has also expressed “deep regret” for how IBAC responded to a special report about the victim’s matter in 2022.
The victim says the apology is a sign of “strong leadership and improving culture” at IBAC, but that Victoria’s police oversight system must be urgently overhauled.
Three finance firms collapse into liquidation after director ban – 2 March 2026
Three Melbourne based finance firms have gone into voluntary liquidation following a permanent ban on financial adviser Barry David King for dishonest conduct, misuse of client funds, and false documentation.
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Star’s former CEO and lawyer broke Corporations Act, Chinese money laundering case judgement finds – 5 March 2026
The Federal Court found that former Star Entertainment CEO Matthias Bekier and former chief legal officer Paula Martin breached their duties under the Corporations Act, during the casino group’s money-laundering scandal involving Chinese gambling junkets. The judge criticised the company’s leadership culture as “dysfunctional” and “unethical,” noting that external investigations rather than the board exposed the problems.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-05/star-asic-judgement-china-money-casino/106418064
Fraud charges against Sunraysia wine grapegrowers Littore brothers dropped – 5 March 2026
Prosecutors have withdrawn charges of fraud and perverting the course of justice against Sunraysia wine grapegrowers Vincent John Littore and David Littore. Four charges of perjury against Vincent John Littore were also dropped. The Littore family says it is committed to the Australian wine industry despite Wine Australia revoking its export licence for failing to comply with labelling and record-keeping requirements.
Fake invoices and personas: Liv Eat contractor sentenced for $65,000 fraud – 5 March 2026
Timothy John Manning, a contractor working for the Tasmanian food chain Liv Eat, pleaded guilty to stealing more than $65,000 from the business. Manning created fake invoices and false identities to divert company payments into accounts he controlled. The court heard he committed the fraud while under financial pressure from significant gambling losses and the costs of IVF treatment.
Lawsuit filed against Victoria Police over arrest related to Dezi Freeman search – 5 March 2026
Jeremy Sloan (32) has filed a lawsuit against Victoria Police after he and his partner Sarah Naylor (30) were pulled over, held at gunpoint and arrested during the 2025 manhunt for alleged police killer Dezi Freeman. Sloan claims the arrest and treatment by police were unlawful and traumatic, and the legal action seeks compensation for the harm caused.
National boss bankrupt, $19m mansion seized in colossal $94m bust – 5 March 2026
The director of a major national automotive company has been declared bankrupt after the company collapsed with about $94 million in debts. As part of the fallout, receivers have seized his luxury assets, including a $19 million plus mansion in Sydney, to help repay creditors. The company’s collapse marks a significant corporate failure, leaving substantial liabilities and prompting insolvency proceedings.
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Australian Federal Police see growth in reports of forced marriage, survivor calls for change – 5 March 2026
Helena Hassani, an Afghan born woman who was forced into marriage at age 11 and later escaped, now lives in Australia and is advocating for greater awareness and action on underage forced marriage. She emphasises the role of education and financial independence in escaping such situations. There has been a significant rise in reports of forced marriage to the Australian Federal Police’s Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) — up nearly 30% from 91 in 2023–24 to **118 in 2024–25 nation wide.
