Family day care fraud leaders spared jail time when sentenced

A couple who were at the centre of a Child Care Subsidy fraud which used a family day care scheme to make false subsidy claims have been spared jail time for their role in the syndicate. 

Speaking to Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court last Wednesday, the pair expressed remorse for their actions and apologised to the Australian public. 

The pair were sentenced to imprisonment but were granted a three-year recognisance release order, and will be required to maintain good behaviour for three years under community corrections supervision.

Charges against the pair relate to actions undertaken in 2018 and 2019 which saw at least $89,000 of false claims made by the wife of the couple, and at least $79,000 by the husband, “not a single cent of which has been recovered,” Judge Jane Culver said.

The husband at the centre of the fraud was listed as the sole owner of the company, and had directed staff to bring children to various locations which were listed as providing care, and to take photographs of them there to make the scheme look more legitimate. 

He is also alleged to have instructed educators on how to avoid detection, how to fill out timesheets, and how to make submissions to the Department of Education. His wife also reportedly signed off on the fraudulent claims. 

Further background information about the case is available here.