Alleged NDIS fraud plot accused had one-way ticket to Nigeria, court hears

A man charged over an alleged $5 million NDIS fraud plot has been refused release on bail. A prosecutor told the Adelaide Magistrates Court dual Australian and Nigerian citizen, Foluso Omole, 38, had bought a one-way ticket to Nigeria and was preparing to leave the country when he was arrested on Friday. What's next? Mr Omole will next appear in court next month. A dual citizen charged over his alleged involvement in a $5 million National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) fraud plot had "cut ties" in Adelaide and was preparing to fly to Nigeria before he was arrested, a court has heard. The court heard Mr Omole, 38, a dual Australian and Nigerian citizen, had "purchased a one-way ticket to Nigeria" before he was arrested as he allegedly prepared to leave the country. A prosecutor told the court it appeared he had "sent, over the course of his offending, significant funds back to Nigeria" where his wife resides. The court heard Mr Omole was working as a NDIS coordinator and operated two businesses which employed a number of staff at the time of the alleged offending. The prosecutor said it was alleged Mr Omole had received "information improperly" from a woman who was employed by the National Disability Insurance Agency over the course of six years, and "used that information to obtain benefit fraudulently". The court heard she has also been charged with offending and was due to appear in court on Thursday. Mr Omole's defence lawyer, Mark Twiggs, told the court his client had informed him that he had been planning to travel on a "return ticket to London" which was "purchased prior to any raid" on the woman's home. "The charges are denied. He has no record at all," Mr Twiggs said. "My client has good reason why he should be given bail." Mr Omole is yet to enter pleas to one count of person deal with proceeds of indictable crime over $1 million and one count of dealing with money/property valued greater than $1 million that is proceeds of crime. Magistrate Patrick Hill refused bail on the basis that Mr Omole posed a flight risk. "Whether it was a one-way ticket to Nigeria or a return ticket to London do make a difference as to the court's assessment of whether or not Mr Omole is a flight risk," Mr Hill said. "For the other reasons put forward by the prosecution, in any event, I remain concerned that he is a risk of flight and the application for bail is refused."