19 stories this week:
SA CCTV trial is underway – 9 April 2021
The trial of a video and audio surveillance system in South Australian state-run aged care facilities has officially started almost two years after it was expected to kick off. Leading Age Services Australia CEO Sean Rooney welcomed the trial and said the technology had potential to improve resident wellbeing.
https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/technology/sa-cctv-trial-is-underway/
The new world of ‘deep fake’: How cyber attackers impersonated senior ministers, diplomats – 1 April 2021
Numerous Australian politicians and diplomats including Finance Minister Simon Birmingham, received messages on encrypted messaging service “Telegram”. Some clicked on the link to download the Telegram app. Once they did this, they were verifying the account for the cyber attacker – uploading their contact book and giving the hacker the ability to impersonate them.
Nine deputy chair Nick Falloon cleared of legal breach, golf membership revoked – 11 April 2021
An investigation by Nine Entertainment Co’s top lawyer has found that deputy chairman Nick Falloon’s use of a corporate golf club membership was inappropriate but did not breach his duties as a director.
Scammers target desperate renters on Sunshine Coast as housing crisis continues – 12 April 2021
Scammers are taking advantage of the desperate rental situation on the Sunshine Coast, where the vacancy rate has dipped as low as 0.5 per cent in some areas. Since the start of the year the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has received 32 reports of rental or accommodation scams from Queenslanders, totalling $8,000 in losses.
Network Ten in sweeping company-wide review of staff culture, conduct – 12 April 2021
All employees on television programs and in the corporate divisions of Ten are being interviewed by the network’s human resources division as part of a review. The sources said people were being asked about sexual discrimination, racism and any issues of harassment or assault.
WA Crown royal commission: No more blissful ignorance of corporate ‘Frankensteins’ – 12 April 2021
The Perth Casino Royal Commission will inquire and report on the ‘suitability’ of Crown Resorts and its local subsidiaries to continue to hold a license for Crown Perth. Whilst Crown has shed many of its directors, and the corporation ‘pledges’ they have changed their ways, article asks “what makes a ‘suitable person” and how do we know when a corporation has reformed?”
Cryptocurrency crime a ‘future problem’ for intelligence agency struggling with talent drain: ACIC – 13 April 2021
The head of one of Australia’s criminal intelligence agencies has warned cryptocurrency would make investigating transnational crime groups tougher into the future, following the government’s struggles to retain specialised talent from leaving for more lucrative private sector positions.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7205805/crypto-the-future-of-organised-crime-acic-says/
ClubsNSW set to drop legal bid to access communications between whistleblower and regulator – 13 April 2021
Former manager Troy Stolz, who raised alarm money laundering in pubs and clubs across New South Wales, said lobby group’s court action would scare other whistleblowers and prevent them from coming forward.
Emergency dispatcher arrested after refusing to return $1.6m in mistakenly transferred money – 13 April 2021
A US emergency dispatcher has been arrested after refusing to return more than a million dollars mistakenly transferred into her account.
ASIC winds up companies behind SMSF scam – 13 April 2021
The corporate regulator has taken action to wind up the companies behind an SMSF scam that obtained millions in investor funds. SA Services and Orphans Asia allegedly obtained approximately $2.4 million in Australian investor funds through cold-calling Australian consumers and operating the now-defunct website smsfadvisory.com. Neither SA Services nor Orphans Asia is licensed or authorised to deal in financial products or provide financial services.
https://www.accountantsdaily.com.au/business/15564-asic-winds-up-companies-behind-smsf-scam
Tesla urged to review its payment practices after two Australian buyers lose thousands to scammers – 15 April 2021
Two Tesla customers collectively lost more than $130,000 after receiving fraudulent Tesla invoices. Customers are calling for Tesla to offer more secure payment options and for banks to improve checks on transactions.
Culture the key to tackling sexual harassment in the workplace – 16 April 2021
Unfortunately sexual harassment complaints are made only after harassment has continued for some time. When that happens, an investigation ends up with no winners and the damage to the organisation is difficult to repair. Addressing why it happened, how it continued to happen and why nothing was said are the key issues to history not repeating itself. Paper tells how it might sound simple, but is the key to success.
Greek Orthodox Church took tens of millions in rent from aged care home at centre of deadliest COVID outbreak – 16 April 2021
An ABC investigation has found a group of taxpayer-funded aged care homes funnelled $31 million back into the coffers of one of Australia’s largest churches. In the past eight years, St Basil’s paid more than $22 April 2021 million in rent and fees to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese while receiving federal government funding.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-16/st-basils-greek-church-taxpayer-funding/100068128
Wunderkind’s alleged $970 million fraud jolts Singapore – 16 April 2021
The police have called it one of the city-state’s largest-ever suspected investment fraud schemes. Ng Yu Zhi was charged last month with four counts of fraud for allegedly raising at least S$1 billion ($970 million) from investors for commodity trades that didn’t exist.
Banks hit with $78m in royal commission penalties: ASIC – 16 April 2021
The corporate watchdog says its investigations following the banking royal commission have so far resulted in $77.65 million in penalties.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/finance-news/banking/2021/04/16/bank-royal-commission-penalties/
Magic Millions, money laundering and a $4b crypto scam – 16 April 2021
The FBI is investigating the biggest investor in Australian horseracing (Amer Abdulaziz Salman) over a scam that could have cost Australians $770 million.
AFP undertook Leppington Triangle raids – 19 April 2021
Australian Federal Police conducted a dawn raid on the Canberra home of a senior public servant as part of an investigation into possible corruption, over the $30 million purchase of a block of land at the new Western Sydney Airport, later valued at just $3 million, known as the Leppington Triangle.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/afp-undertook-leppington-triangle-raids-2021418-p57k9u
Police probe bond scam as HSBC, Vanguard, PIMCO are hijacked – 20 April 2021
NSW police are investigating a fraud scheme that dupes investors with fake high-yield bond prospectuses, after young investors have had their hard-earned savings wiped out.
Access to digital version of AFR required to read article – 22 April 2021
NDIS fraud nets millions in Sydney scam Six people are accused of being part of a sophisticated Sydney crime syndicate that’s defrauded millions of dollars from the National Disability Insurance Scheme. With the help of specialist financial intelligence provided by AUSTRAC, police identified a syndicate using three companies to defraud the NDIS. Once the payments from the NDIS claims were received by the syndicate, a kickback went back into the pockets of the company operators.
https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/crime/sydney-syndicate-arrested-over-ndis-fraud-c-2655929
