Townsville woman charged with allegedly defrauding Far North Qld business more than $2.5 million – 14 June 2024
A 50-year-old woman is accused of defrauding a company of more than $2.5 million. Police will allege the woman used her position to take several measures, including relocating funds, altering business documents, including payroll information, to commit the offences. Police have charged the woman with about 120 fraud related offences and she’s due to appear in court in August.
Eleven people arrested in alleged Shepparton drug trafficking ring investigation – 15 June 2024
Victoria Police has arrested 11 men in relation to an alleged drug trafficking ring operating in Shepparton. Police believed drugs were being transported from Melbourne and supplied to Shepparton, which led to their investigation. Police seized about $600,000 worth of drugs including methamphetamine, MDMA, cocaine, cannabis and GHB. Those arrested will appear in court.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-15/shepparton-drug-trafficking-ring-arrests/103982446
Keep hearing about data breaches? Here’s how scammers can use them to target you – 16 June 2024
Data breaches might seem common, but that doesn’t mean they’re harmless. Depending on what kind of information is compromised, scammers and hackers can still find a way to use it against you. Article explains what you should do if you receive threatening emails claiming your personal data has been stolen.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-16/data-breach-cybersecurity-threats-scammers/103931466
Dirty money laws to help stem NDIS fraud – 16 June 2024
Law enforcement agencies have told Labor that moves to extend protections against the circulation of dirty money in Australia have the potential to help stem rampant fraud in the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/dirty-money-laws-to-help-stem-ndis-fraud-20240611-p5jkta
South Australian MP Troy Bell stole money from not-for-profit to pay for home renovations, court hears – 18 June 2024
A court has heard that a South Australian MP Troy Bell allegedly stole money from not-for-profit educational organisations and used it to fund renovations at his family home along with credit card debts. Mr Bell has pleaded not guilty to 20 counts of theft and six counts of dishonest dealing with documents which allegedly occurred between 2009 and 2013.A jury of 15 people will hear evidence over an estimated four months.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-18/south-australian-mp-troy-bell-district-court/103990350
Shannara Cindy Dyball pleads guilty in Toowoomba to Containers for Change fraud – 19 June 2024
Shannara Cindy Dyball defrauded Queensland’s container refund scheme the equivalent of almost a million cans and bottles. Dyball had access to a system where she could manually enter the number of cans for a refund directly into a bank account. She pleaded guilty in the District Court to one count of fraud and was sentenced to four years in prison, wholly suspended for a term of four years.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-19/shannara-cindy-dyball-pleads-guilty-to-fraud/103997510
Sport Integrity Australia accused of age discrimination in its investigation of child gymnast’s bullying allegations – 19 June 2024
Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) has been accused of breaching the Age Discrimination Act when it investigated bullying allegations involving a child within Gymnastics Australia. The ABC can reveal the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is handling a complaint lodged by a parent over an investigation conducted by SIA in 2020, relating to allegations of bullying, verbal abuse and inappropriate discipline of their daughter.
Man arrested in Melbourne over 500 allegedly fraudulent COVID-19 isolation payment claims – 21 June 2024
Police have arrested a 41-year-old man in Melbourne’s west as they investigate more than 500 allegedly fraudulent applications for COVID-19 payments made during the pandemic worth roughly $60,000. Police seized a number of items from the address including card-printing and embossing machines, various forms of fake IDs including drivers licences, Medicare cards, and four mobile phone signal jammers.
Channel Seven reporter Robert Ovadia ‘sacked’ following internal investigation – 21 June 2024
Senior Channel Seven journalist Robert Ovadia says he has been sacked by the network after an internal investigation was launched into allegations of inappropriate behaviour. Ovadia previously said any allegation he had behaved inappropriately at any time is false and will be defended.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-21/channel-seven-reporter-robert-ovadia-sacked/104006934
How Medibank allegedly ignored the warning signs in one of Australia’s worst cybersecurity breaches – 21 June 2024
This article explains in detail how medibanks security breach was undertaken, the warning signs and the exposure and risks created by Medibank by the lack of cyber security measures in place.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-22/medibank-alerts-australia-cybersecurity-breach/104003576
Sydney bartender Andrew Hayler jailed after sharing digitally altered images of women on porn site – 21 June 2024
Sydney bartender Andrew Thomas Hayler, 38, has been sentenced to nine years in jail for uploading digitally altered images of 26 women to a porn site. Victim Hannah Grundy alerted police and has been trying to get justice for the past three years.
