Two people have been charged after detectives seized luxury cars, jewellery and a cache of wine during a probe into an alleged $10 million fraud on an automotive group. NSW Police on Thursday revealed a seven-month investigation had uncovered a group allegedly using stolen information from more than 30 people to buy luxury cars that did not exist. A 31-year-old woman allegedly involved in the scheme was arrested in May following a search of a home at Middleton Grange, in southwest Sydney.
She was charged with 102 counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and one count of possessing a prohibited drug. The woman was granted strict conditional bail and appeared in Liverpool Local Court the following week. Following further investigations, detectives searched a home in Carlingford and a warehouse unit in Alexandria in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
They seized a Tesla sedan, a Mercedes Benz van, multiple Rolex watches, large amounts of luxury jewellery and an estimated $200,000 worth of wine and other alcohol. A 40-year-old man was arrested at the property and later charged with three counts of recklessly dealing with the proceeds of general crime with intent to conceal, participating in a criminal group and recklessly dealing with proceeds of crime greater than $5000. The man was refused bail to appear before Burwood Local Court on Thursday.
Detectives will allege in court he made a number of fraudulent applications through the woman - who used her position as an employee at the automotive financing business - to approve financing to the value of $600,000. Police further allege he attempted to launder the money through various bank accounts. The female employee went on to facilitate transactions relating to more than 50 luxury vehicles - worth a combined $10 million - between November 2022 and August 2023, police allege.
Financial Crime Squad commander Gordon Arbinja warned further arrests were imminent. "We have several more targets allegedly involved in this criminal syndicate that we are interested in and want those victims of this syndicate to know more arrests are coming," he said. "No one should receive a letter in the mail saying they owe tens of thousands of dollars for a car they have never seen.
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