Bundles of cash allegedly found in underwear drawer of man accused of $3.5m fraud

1 month ago 8

The director of a National Disability Insurance Scheme service provider has been accused of using fraudulent claims to help launder millions of dollars of dirty cash after police allegedly found firearms and bundles of money in an underwear drawer.

Billal Chami, 31, is due to face Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday after a raid on his south-west Sydney home in December.

Police allegedly found $35,000 in a drawer at a Villawood unit.

The man is accused of withdrawing cash from various bank accounts over a three-year period to launder $3.5 million suspected to be proceeds of crime.

The withdrawn money allegedly came from fraudulent NDIS claims, including services which were not provided to scheme participants.

Police allegedly found $35,000 in cash in an underwear drawer during the December raid at the man’s Villawood unit, along with an air rifle and two gel blaster pistols.

He has been charged with dealing with money reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime.

A man speaks with police and disability insurance fraud investigators during a raid on a Villawood home in December.

The NDIS quality and safeguards commission intends to ban the man and the provider he directs from the scheme while proceedings are ongoing.

Concerns over the role of fraud in the ballooning cost of the NDIS prompted plans for a 40-fold boost to maximum fines, with penalties up to $16.5 million, in November.

That same month, fraud investigators conducted more than 33 raids in four states, including NSW, with 43 terabytes of data being seized.

Gel blasters and an air rifle were also allegedly found at the Villawood unit.

AFP Detective Inspector Aidan Milner said fraud of Commonwealth programs was a key focus area for the agency and its partners.

“We will be relentless in pursuing any people who seek to exploit our welfare system,” Milner said.

“The AFP will not stop in its pursuit of these groups who chop and change companies in a cynical effort to hide their criminal behaviour from law enforcement.”

National Disability Insurance Agency chief executive Graeme Head said participants in the scheme needed protection.

“Most providers do the right thing, but for the small number who don’t, expect a knock on the door.”

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