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A self-proclaimed fortune teller and feng shui master has been arrested for playing a central role in one of the largest financial fraud operations in Australian history, according to police.
new South Wales Police arrested Anya Phan, 53, and her daughter Thi Ta, 25, on Wednesday during a raid on their Dover Heights home. sydneyEastern suburbs of.
Detectives alleged the older woman played a key role in fraudulent activities raising more than A$70m (£35m), exploiting her insider position. sydneyThe Vietnamese community will recruit participants for this scheme Sydney Morning Herald termed as ,Penthouse Syndicate”
During the raid, officers seized luxury handbags, electronics, financial records, mobile phones, a 40 gram gold bar worth A$10,000 (£5,000), and casino chips worth A$6,600 (£3,300).
Police alleged that Ms Phan persuaded vulnerable members of the community to seek large-scale financial assistance Loan keeping a part of Loan For yourself.
Investigators alleged he preyed on clients’ trust by claiming to predict increases in their wealth, telling them they would “become billionaires” and using his image as a spiritual advisor to reinforce the deception.
Police said an additional A$15m of assets were seized during Wednesday’s operation, bringing the total value of seized assets linked to the syndicate to A$75m.
Detective Superintendent Gordon Urbinza, head of the financial crimes squad, said Ms Phan was trusted and influential within her community, but she used that influence to exploit others.
“The 53-year-old woman claimed to be a Feng Shui master and fortune teller who convinced these vulnerable people to become mules in the criminal syndicate where they would receive some amount of money, and each time she convinced these people to do so. LoanShe herself will spend at least $150,000,” Mr Arbinza alleged.
“It is also worrying that this woman was trusted in her community. She arrived in Australia in 2001 and soon became an Australian citizen.
“She has not worked during this time… Repayments at the Dover Heights address alone were $56,000 a month, yet she had been receiving Disability Support Payments for more than 20 years and was a VIP client at a Sydney-based casino.
“We [allege] He defrauded the Sydney casino out of at least $520,000 in a two-month period alone. He is a high roller and very influential among his community,” Mr Arbinja said.
His daughter is accused of helping to facilitate the scheme, which allegedly bought a $5.3m property in Rose Bay on behalf of the syndicate.
After their arrest, both women were taken to Surry Hills Police Station.
Ms Phan was later charged with 39 offences, including directing the activities of a criminal group, dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and dealing in the proceeds of crime.
His daughter faces a number of related charges and was granted conditional bail to appear in court in January.
The arrests come amid a wider investigation under Strike Force Myddleton, a task force set up to investigate financial crimes linked to Sydney’s luxury car and property sectors. What started as an investigation into fraudulent “ghost car” purchases – Loan Taken out for vehicles that never existed – this has evolved into a comprehensive investigation on multiple banks and business fronts.
“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,” Mr Urbinza said.
“Our detectives have worked tirelessly to uncover a network that not only targeted financial institutions but also manipulated vulnerable individuals for personal gain.”
Police say the reach of the so-called Penthouse Syndicate extended far beyond car financing, involving corrupt bank employees, mortgage brokers, solicitors and real estate agents in a vast network of financial fraud.
More than a dozen suspects have already been charged with crimes ranging from fraud to money laundering in what authorities describe as one of Australia’s largest financial crime cases.
Police say more arrests are expected as investigators focus on the syndicate’s “professional facilitators”, including lawyers, accountants and property developers.