Adelaide woman charged with alleged plot to defraud NDIS of $5 million
Australian Federal Police officers walk the woman to a car after her arrest. (Supplied: Australian Federal Police)
In short:
The AFP alleges that an Adelaide woman accessed NDIS participant records and made fraudulent claims.
She has been charged with several fraud-related offences.
What's next?
Police say more charges may be laid.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has charged a National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) employee over an alleged plot to steal $5 million from the National Disability Insurance Service (NDIS) and a disability services provider.
Officers from the AFP, SA Police and other agencies executed a search warrant at the woman's home in the northern Adelaide suburb of Blakeview on Wednesday.
She has been charged with dishonestly obtaining a benefit while being a public official and dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage for another person.
She was also charged with disclosing protected agency information and forging false documents.
The NDIA alleges the 48-year-old woman accessed more than 40 NDIS participant records without authorisation, while at work and outside work hours.
Australian Federal Police at the woman's door early on Wednesday morning. (Supplied: Australian Federal Police)
It also says the woman submitted fraudulent claims against the plans of members of her family, who are NDIS participants, including for supports and services that were not provided to them.
She is also accused of receiving more than $53,000 from a local NDIA provider as part of the total alleged $5 million plot.
She was bailed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court in August.
Investigation across agencies
The investigation by the Australian Government Fraud Fusion Taskforce (FFT) began in March.
As well as the AFP, the taskforce includes members from the NDIA, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
An officer from the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission searches a car at the woman's house. (Supplied: Australian Federal Police)
The AFP said the investigation commenced after the NDIA identified unauthorised access to protected records of participants.
"Fraud of Commonwealth programs is an area of key focus for the AFP and its partners," Detective Inspector Aidan Milner said.
"Together, we will be relentless in our pursuit of anyone who seeks to exploit vulnerable Australians and steal public funds for their own personal greed.
"Those who attempt to flout the law will be identified, investigated and brought before the court."
The AFP said investigations are continuing and more charges may be laid.
Police also search a home in Mawson Lakes and at a business in Prospect, both in Adelaide's northern suburbs.