WOMEN ARRESTED FOR CORONAVIRUS AND BUSHFIRE WELFARE FRAUD – PORT MACQUARIE

Police have arrested two women at Port Macquarie for coronavirus and bushfire welfare assistance fraud.

The women, aged 27 and 24, used false identities to try and claim more than 27-thousand dollars in payments they were not entitled to.

The Federal Government’s new anti-fraud Taskforce Iris, identified a range of suspicious claims submitted by the pair.

It’s alleged the women made 25 fraudulent claims for the Disaster Recovery Payment in relation to last summer’s bushfires.

It’s further alleged they made on fraudulent claim for JobSeeker payments, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pair had been paid more than ten-thousand dollars to date, before their arrests.

Both have been charged with eight counts of obtaining a financial advantage by deception, contrary to Commonwealth legislation.

The offence carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

The women have been granted bail and will face court in July.