Woman charged over alleged bushfire and COVID-19 assistance fraud – Hunter Valley

A woman will face court today after being charged with alleged fraud regarding bushfire and COVID-19 support recovery grants.
Strike Force Roche was established by several police districts within the Northern Region to investigate alleged fraudulent claims for bushfire disaster relief and small business grants through government agencies.
Police will allege in court that, between Thursday 12 March and Sunday 13 September 2020, a woman, aged 31, fraudulently applied for 34 combined Bushfire and COVID-19 Government Grants. A total of 11 were granted and the woman received $104,000.
Police will also allege the woman attempted to obtain a further $258,000 in grants which she was not entitled to.
Following extensive inquiries, police attended a home in Aberdare about 1.20pm yesterday (Friday 27 November 2020), where they arrested the woman.
She was taken to Cessnock Police Station and charged with dishonestly obtain financial benefit by deception (x16).
She was refused bail and will appear in Newcastle Local Court today (Saturday 28 November 2020).
Investigations under the strike force are ongoing across multiple police districts in the Northern Region.