A Redbank Plains man is scheduled to appear before Brisbane Magistrates Court today (22 September, 2026), charged for allegedly bribing Bangladeshi public officials for personal gain.
The man, 51, is alleged to have transferred about $90,000 to people in Bangladesh with the intent that they use it to influence an investigation into the death of a woman known to him, including the removal of his name from police records.
This is the first time the AFP has put an allegation of foreign bribery of a public official for personal advantage before the court.
An initial AFP investigation began in September, 2024, following a Queensland Police Service referral of an overseas missing person’s report for the dual Australian-Bangladeshi woman.
The following day, Bangladesh Police advised they had located what they believed to be her body in Bangladesh. This was subsequently confirmed by forensic testing by Bangladeshi authorities.
Advice provided by Bangladeshi authorities suggested the cause of death was suspicious.
As a result of this advice, the AFP refocused the investigation to the suspicious death under Division 115 of the Criminal Code (Cth), which criminalises the murder, manslaughter, or causing of serious harm to Australian citizens or residents while they are overseas. Assistance was provided by the AFP’s global operations network and international partners.
This was separate to a Bangladesh Police investigation into the woman’s death.
As part of its investigation, the AFP executed several search warrants at financial institutions in Sydney and Brisbane, seizing international funds transaction records and bank records.
The AFP alleges that between September, 2024, and September, 2026, the man conspired with people in Bangladesh to try and influence the Bangladeshi investigation by arranging the transfer of money to pay bribes to public officials.
Yesterday (21 September, 2026), AFP members arrested the man and executed a search warrant at homes in Goodna and Redbank Plains in Queensland. Investigators seized an electronic device for forensic examination.
The Redbank Plains man was charged with one count of bribing a foreign public official, contrary to section 70.2(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is 10 years’ imprisonment.
The AFP investigation into the suspicious death remains ongoing, as does the Bangladesh Police investigation.
AFP Commander Stephen Jay said any attempt to corrupt investigative processes, whether in Australia or overseas, was a serious criminal matter that would be scrutinised.
“The AFP takes allegations of bribery and corruption seriously, particularly where the alleged conduct is intended to influence the outcome of a serious criminal investigation,” Commander Jay said.
“Anyone who attempts to buy influence or interfere with the administration of justice should expect to be held accountable.
“The AFP works every day to protect Australians and Australia’s interests, investigating those who threaten our safety, security and democratic way of life.
“We will continue to work closely with our domestic and international partners regarding this investigation.”
Since 20 October, 2025, the AFP’s response to foreign bribery has been led by Taskforce Solaris, a dedicated multidisciplinary team focused on preventing, detecting and investigating foreign bribery and grand corruption.
The Australian Federal Police is a founding member of the Bribery Prevention Network, a public-private partnership that brings together business, civil society, academia and government with the shared goal of supporting Australian businesses to prevent, detect and address bribery and corruption and promote a culture of compliance.
