Thirteen people have been charged after police busted an alleged family daycare scam in south-west Sydney that defrauded up to $500,000 of taxpayers' money.
Nearly 20 properties were raided on Wednesday following an investigation into coordinated fraudulent activities targeting family daycare operations.
Among the 13 people charged were a 46-year-old woman arrested in Guildford and a 29-year-old man arrested at a home in Blair Athol, said to have directed the scam. They were both charged with two counts of conspiracy to defraud.
Police will allege the pair were the silent directors of a company which fraudulently claimed to provide family day care services in order to successfully apply for government subsidies to the value of $500,000.
This allegedly included $138,000 from the COVID-19 stimulus package to support the childcare sector, police said.
Police and emergency services minister David Elliott said the sting would keep taxpayer money out of criminal hands.
"We don't want to see criminals anywhere near the childcare industry," Mr Elliott said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Taxpayers deserve to know that important funding for day care and other essential services is being used appropriately and doesn't end up in the hands of organised criminals."
State Crime Commander assistant commissioner Stuart Smith said the alleged crimes committed were the product of a "sophisticated and extremely organised" criminal syndicate.
Police also allege the 46-year-old woman married a man in March in order for him to be granted a partner visa to remain in Australia.
The woman was granted conditional bail to appear at Fairfield Local Court on November 16.
The 29-year-old man was granted conditional bail to appear at Campbelltown Local Court on the same day.
Inquiries continue and further arrests are expected, police said.
