Overview

A ⁣woman claiming to be a fortune teller and feng shui master,along‌ with another woman,have been charged in connection with an ‍alleged fraud scheme targeting members of Sydney’s Vietnamese community. authorities estimate the fraud totals⁤ nearly $70 million. The examination, known as Strike Force Myddleton, has⁣ led to the seizure of $75 million in assets and charges against 19 individuals.

The‌ Charges

The primary suspect, described as a fortune teller and feng shui master, faces 39 offences, including knowingly directing the activities of a criminal group.She was denied bail and is scheduled to appear in the Downing Center Local Court. A second woman ​was charged with two counts of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by ⁤deception and was granted conditional ⁤bail, with⁢ a court appearance ‌set for January of next year.

Asset Seizure and Investigation

The New South Wales ​(NSW) Crime commission ‍has⁤ frozen $15 million in assets, bringing the⁢ total value of assets seized in connection with the syndicate to $75 million. The investigation began as a probe into fraudulent car financing but expanded to uncover a ⁣”sophisticated financial ⁢crime syndicate,” according to Detective Superintendent Gordon Arbinja, Commander of the Financial Crimes squad.

Seventeen individuals were previously charged under‍ Strike​ Force⁢ Myddleton, and their⁢ cases are currently before the courts.

Financial Crimes Squad Details

Detective superintendent ⁣Gordon Arbinja stated,What began as an investigation into⁣ fraudulent car financing has expanded into uncovering one of​ the most sophisticated financial‌ crime syndicates I have⁢ seen in my career at the helm of the Financial Crimes squad. This highlights the scale and complexity of the alleged operation.

Timeline of Events