NSW police charge woman over bushfire fraud

Detectives have charged a woman over alleged fraud relating to bushfire and COVID-19 support recovery grants.

Strike Force Roche was established by several police districts within the Northern Region to investigate alleged fraudulent claims for bushfire disaster relief and small business grants through government agencies.

Following extensive inquiries, detectives from Hunter Valley Police District attended a correctional facility at Kempsey on Thursday 7 January 2021, where they charged a 32-year-old woman with eight counts of dishonestly obtain financial benefit by deception.

Police will allege in court the woman fraudulently obtained six NSW Government grants, receiving a total of $60,000.

She appeared at Port Macquarie Local Court on Friday 8 January 2020, where she was refused bail.

She is next due to appear at Cessnock Local Court today (Wednesday 27 January 2021).

Investigations under the strike force are ongoing across multiple police districts in the Northern Region.

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