The AFP-led Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce (CACT) has restrained more than $20 million in assets from a NSW pharmacist, including a mansion, a retail property, two Ferraris, two Lamborghinis and a McLaren.
The AFP began an investigation in February, 2023, following a referral from the Department of Health and Aged Care in relation to a pharmacist allegedly making false claims under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme between 2014 and 2023. The alleged value of offending is estimated at more than $10 million.
The investigation led to search warrants being executed at both the man's house in Dural and a pharmacy in Cabramatta East.
The man, 58, was charged with:
- Two counts of dealing in proceeds of crime worth $1 million or more, contrary to section 400.3(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth); and
- Two counts of dishonesty causing a loss to the Commonwealth, contrary to section 135.1(3) of the Criminal Code (Cth).
The maximum respective penalties for these offences are 25 years' imprisonment and 10 years' imprisonment.
The man is currently bailed and is next scheduled to appear before court on 6 June, 2025.
Following the search warrants, it was suspected many of the assets were likely to be the proceeds of crime, leading to an investigation by the AFP-led CACT.
The CACT - which brings together the AFP, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, Australian Taxation Office, Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, and Australian Border Force - applied to the NSW Supreme Court on 22 May, 2025 to have multiple assets belonging to the man restrained under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth).
The assets restrained, which CACT allege do not seem to be accounted for by legitimate earnings, include:
- A mansion in Dural, NSW;
- A business premises in East Cabramatta, NSW;
- Various bank accounts; and
- 12 vehicles, being
- seven BMWs;
- two Ferraris;
- two Lamborghinis; and
- one McLaren.
AFP CACT Commander Jason Kennedy said by seizing the assets of offenders driven by greed, police struck at the heart of their motivation - personal profit.
"This approach ensures those who seek to exploit government benefit schemes for financial gain face not only legal consequences, but also the loss of the wealth they sought to accumulate through dishonest means," Commander Kennedy said.
"When law enforcement recovers illicit gains, it removes the incentive that fuels such crimes and sends a strong deterrent message to others . Offenders consider the confiscation of their assets to be as much, or more, of a punishment than a prison sentence, and removing the lure of financial exploitation from the equation shows that crime does not pay."
While the CACT litigates matters in the courts, restrained assets are managed on behalf of the Commonwealth by the Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA). At the conclusion of successful legal proceedings, confiscated assets are then liquidated by AFSA, with the proceeds placed in the Commonwealth Confiscated Assets Account (CAA).
Funds in the CAA can be reinvested in programs which support crime prevention, law enforcement, drug treatment and diversionary measures related to drug use.
