The former Labor MP and trade union official Craig Thomson has been arrested by Australian federal police over an alleged multimillion-dollar fraudulent visa scheme.
Thomson has been accused of facilitating more than 130 fraudulent visa applications – focusing on the food service and regional farm worker industries – over four years, resulting in more than $2m allegedly being gained from this activity.
He is due to appear before Gosford local court on the New South Wales Central Coast on Thursday.
The multi-agency investigation, led by the AFP and comprising the Australian Border Force (ABF), Austrac, the taxation office and Department of Home Affairs – allegedly found evidence of an alleged scheme intended to defraud legitimate visa programs.
It was triggered by a border force investigation into allegations of significant visa and migration fraud, dating back to August 2019.
In July, 2021 nine search warrants were executed by AFP and ABF officers in relation to the investigation at premises in Wamberal, Terrigal and Copacabana on the Central Coast, in the Sydney suburbs of Revesby and Rockdale, and at East Maitland, NSW, and Bundaberg West, Queensland.
Additional search warrants were executed on Thomson’s Terrigal residence on Wednesday and at a Tuggerah premises.
Thomson has been charged with providing false documents and false or misleading information relating to non-citizens, and breaching restrictions on charging fees for immigration assistance.
He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment if convicted of either offence.
Thomson became a federal Labor MP in 2007 and held the seat of Dobell on the NSW Central Coast until 2013.
The AFP’s commander of investigations for eastern command, Craig Bellis, said the charges laid in the immigration matter involved allegations of a serious breach of public trust.
“The alleged offences in this matter involved the exploitation of federal government programs designed to assist Australian businesses, and it is incumbent on the AFP to investigate and prosecute instances of large-scale fraud against Australian taxpayers,” he said.
The ABF’s Erin Dale said the agency took a zero-tolerance approach to anyone allegedly trying to profit through the exploitation of vulnerable foreign workers.
“This investigation demonstrates the unwavering resolve of the ABF and AFP in preventing the exploitation of foreign workers in Australia. ‘Cash for visa’ schemes, as they are often known, target vulnerable visa holders who may not be aware of Australian laws and workplace entitlements”, she said.
“Together, the ABF and AFP will continue to pursue facilitators of visa and migration fraud, while protecting foreign workers who play a vital role within the Australian community.”
Austrac’s Michael Tink said his agency had been involved in tracing funds and had identified more than $2m in income likely derived from the alleged offences.
