Two Sydney men, Nicholas Briggs and Jaiden Gribble, have been accused of orchestrating an elaborate scheme to defraud the New South Wales Government of more than $200,000.
The duo allegedly submitted false sexual assault claims using the identities of two dozen women to exploit the government’s victim compensation scheme.
The investigation began in August when financial crime detectives noticed several suspicious reports through the Sexual Assault Reporting Operation (SARO). SARO, introduced by NSW Police in 2022, allows individuals to report sexual assaults without initiating a formal investigation.
It is designed to empower victims by enabling them to report incidents anonymously if they choose. However, these reports can also be used in applications for government compensation, which is where the alleged fraud took place.
The pair were arrested Monday morning and taken to Auburn Police Station where they were charged with several offences. Briggs faces 25 counts of using someone’s identity to commit an offence, 19 counts of obtaining a financial advantage by deception, and one count of dealing with the proceeds of a crime.
Meanwhile, Gribble has been charged with dealing with proceeds of crime over $5,000 and using someone’s identity for fraudulent purposes.
Neither Briggs nor Gribble applied for bail during their appearance at Burwood Local Court. The court heard that Briggs is likely to be prosecuted by the Director of Public Prosecutions due to the severity of the allegations against him.
The case has been adjourned until December when they will return to court.
Lead image: NSW Police Force
Help is available.
- If you require immediate assistance, please call 000.
- If you’d like to speak to someone about sexual violence, please call the 1800 Respect hotline on 1800 737 732 or chat online.
- Under 25? You can reach Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or chat online.
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