Financial Crime Squad detectives have charged a man and two women following the alleged return of fraudulent postal ballot votes for the 2020 council election in the City of Moreland.
A 59-year-old Pascoe Vale man, 51-year-old Pascoe Vale woman and a 25-year-old Pascoe Vale woman have each been charged on summons with conspiracy to cheat and defraud, conspiracy to commit an offence – make false document and theft.
The trio have also all been charged with the Local Government Act offences of utter forged ballot material in connection with an election and interfere with ballot materials submitted or lodged in connection with an election.
All three will appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 25 February.
The charges follow an incident reported to Victoria Police in October 2020.
Investigators worked with the Victoria Electoral Commission (VEC) after a number of residents in the North West Ward requested additional vote packs after advising the VEC they had not received the initial voting forms in the mail.
It was then identified that a vote had already been returned for those persons.
A number of ballots were seized and forensically examined by police as part of the investigation.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppers.vic.com.auExternal Link
