Daily London
Police have alleged that a self-proclaimed fortune teller and her daughter, charged over an alleged $70 million fraud in Sydney, are connected to one of the largest fraud syndicates in Australian history.
53-year-old Anya Phan, who claimed to be a feng shui master and fortune teller, and her 25-year-old daughter were arrested yesterday at her multimillion-dollar Dover Heights mansion in the city’s eastern suburbs.
Phan is accused of exploiting vulnerable clients in Sydney’s Vietnamese community.
“We know she has at least laundered $520,000 in a two-month period alone at this Sydney-based casino,” Deputy Superintendent Gordon Arbinja, the commander of the NSW Police financial crimes squad, said.
“She is a high roller and very influential amongst her community.”
Police will allege that she is one of the heads of the Penthouse Syndicate, one of the largest fraud syndicates in Australia’s history.
“What’s alarming in this one is now the syndicate has shifted,” Arbinja said.
“The syndicate is now preying on you, on vulnerable people that are trusted within their community.”
She allegedly persuaded victims to take out financial loans – while taking a share herself – based on her prediction that there was a “billionaire” in their future.
The fraud, allegedly orchestrated with the help of her daughter, is estimated to total nearly $70 million.
During the pair’s arrest, police also seized financial documents, mobile phones, other electronics, luxury handbags, a 40-gram gold bar worth $10,000 and $6600 in casino chips.
The NSW Crime Commission froze an additional $15 million worth of assets.
Phan has been charged with more than 40 offences, including dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
She was refused bail to appear in court today.
The daughter was charged with offences including obtaining financial advantage by deception and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
“The younger woman was charged with two offences, mainly fraud in relation to the purchase of a $5.3 million apartment in Rose Bay,” Arbinja said.
She was granted conditional bail and is scheduled to appear in court tomorrow.
Arbinja said they came to the attention of Strike Force Myddleton detectives investigating a criminal syndicate targeting vehicle financing companies.
“What began as an investigation into fraudulent car financing has expanded into uncovering one of the most sophisticated financial crime syndicates I have seen in my career at the helm of the Financial Crimes Squad,” he said.
Seventeen people have already been charged with links to the syndicate, with police saying there are more arrests to come.
