Qld women sentenced over illegal COVID-19 scheme claims
Three Queensland women who illegally attempted to access superannuation payments under a federal government COVID-19 scheme have been sentenced to prison.
Two women, who both pleaded guilty, were on 28 May 2024 sentenced in the Brisbane District Court to three years and six months’ imprisonment. A third woman, who also pleaded guilty, was sentenced in April to five months in prison.
The Australian Federal Police anti-fraud Taskforce Iris charged the women in August 2020 after an investigation revealed the group submitted several fraudulent applications to attempt to access early release of superannuation payments totalling $103,500.
The women used myGov accounts to claim to be other superannuation fund-holders. The investigation started after a separate taskforce identified the offending. The ATO-led Serious Financial Crime Taskforce analysed the offending and endorsed the investigation as a priority operation.
AFP Taskforce Iris investigators, with the support of the Queensland Police Service, ATO and Services Australia, executed search warrants in the South-East Queensland suburbs of Morayfield, Worongary, Balmoral, Eagleby and Burpengary East on 6 August 2020.
A Morayfield woman, 45, pleaded guilty in January 2023 and a Worongary woman, 44, pleaded guilty in April 2024 to three offences, including:
- One count of dealing in identification information that involves use of a carriage service, contrary to sections 372.1A and 11A.2 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth)
- One count of dealing in identification information (in relation to opening of bank accounts), contrary to sections 372.1 and 11A.2 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth) and
- One count of dishonestly influencing a commonwealth public official, contrary to sections 135.1(7) and 11A.2 CCA of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).
They were each sentenced on 28 May to three years and six months imprisonment, to be released immediately on a two-year good behaviour bond.
An Eagleby woman, 40, pleaded guilty in April 2024 to:
- One count of dealing in identification information using a carriage service, contrary to section 372.1A of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth) and
- One count of dealing in identification information, contrary to sections 372.1 and 11.2A (1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).
She was sentenced in April 2024 to five months in prison, to be released immediately on a 12-month good behaviour bond.
