Victorian man arrested over alleged $700,000 NDIS fraud

In short: Police allege a 48-year-old NDIS participant submitted false invoices for $700,000 of services he did not receive. He was arrested at a property near Horsham on Wednesday. What's next? Police will interview the man as part of their investigation. A 48-year-old Victorian man has been arrested after being accused of using two businesses to funnel about $700,000 in National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funding into his own bank accounts. Hamilton Crime Investigation Unit detectives and the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) allege the man, who is an NDIS participant, submitted false invoices for services he did not receive over a two-year period. He was arrested at a property near Horsham yesterday and will be interviewed by police. The offending is alleged to have occurred between June 28, 2024 and June 30, 2026. Police allege the man set up two businesses to carry out the scheme, submitting invoices to the NDIS, and then transferring funds received into his own bank accounts. Police say they will also allege the man dealt with property suspected to be the proceeds of crime. Hamilton Crime Investigation Unit Detective Sergeant Mark James said police and the NDIA were committed to identifying anyone who sought to profit through dishonest claims and holding them accountable. "Our team worked extensively on this investigation to stop this person from allegedly defrauding a scheme designed to support some of the most vulnerable members of our community for his own financial gain," he said. An NDIA spokesperson said the organisation would continue to investigate fraudulent fund claims. "The vast majority of NDIS participants and providers do the right thing and use scheme funding appropriately," the spokesperson said. "We will continue to use intelligence, data analytics and joint investigations to identify, detect and disrupt fraud, so NDIS funding is protected for the Australians who rely on it." Police say anyone with information about fraudulent activity should contact Crime Stoppers. [Image text:] Supplied:Victoria Police ndis