Lake Macquarie police say they have at least a dozen more persons of interest as part of an investigation into people fraudulently claiming thousands of dollars worth of bushfire and COVID-19 relief grants.
Investigators from Strike Force Roche have hauled eight people before the courts from the Lake Macquarie area so far in recent months and the district's detectives boss says he expects more arrests in the coming weeks.
Detective Inspector Steve Benson told the Newcastle Herald on Friday Lake Macquarie police were investigating at least 12 "persons of interest" over alleged disaster grant fraud.
Inspector Benson said several of the people charged so far appeared to know each other but investigators did not believe it represented an organised criminal enterprise - he said it was more likely a matter of an idea travelling between a group of associates or friends.
"We're finding it's a bit of a web and a lot of the accused persons are linked to each other," he said.
"It's the talk among themselves - that's probably what it's down to.
"We can only surmise that once one had done it successfully, people talk and the word has got around."
Strike Force Roche was set up in April across the NSW Police Northern Region - which stretches from the Central Coast to the Queensland border - to target fraudulent claims for bushfire and COVID-19 relief money.
In the latest arrest at Lake Macquarie, a 27-year-old woman from Warners Bay was this week charged for allegedly fraudulently claiming almost $21,000 worth of grants.
Strike force detectives have been getting information through tip-offs and intelligence, but the team's first arrest at Lake Macquarie came when an investigator found documents related to a relief grant scheme while searching a person's property over an unrelated alleged crime.
Police say they are not looking to charge people who have made an honest mistake, but rather those who have intentionally sought money for which they were not eligible.
Inspector Benson said he "100 per cent" believed there would be more Strike Force Roche arrests in his district soon.
"It's hard to surmise how widespread it is," he said.
"The grant was setup to assist those in need in a tough time - obviously the COVID-related grants as well - so it's disappointing to see that people have taken that opportunity to defraud not only the government but potentially take money away from those who need it.
"But I'm hopeful that now we're seeing some prosecute-able action it might send a strong message out there."
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