Over $580,000 Seized in Australian Visa Fraud Scheme

More than $580,000 has been seized by Australian authorities following an investigation into a visa fraud scheme linked to a 61-year-old man from the New South Wales Central Coast. The case centred on the misuse of Australia's immigration system, including the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme. Investigators claimed the man received large sums of money for helping lodge visa applications that contained false information submitted to immigration authorities, reports Australia Today. Financial investigations uncovered hundreds of thousands of dollars moving through bank accounts connected to the man. Some of the money was used to purchase other assets, prompting the AFP-led Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce (CACT) to take action to restrain and confiscate the funds. Earlier this week, the supreme court of New South Wales ordered the forfeiture of $117,000 after the man admitted the money was the proceeds of offences committed between July 2017 and May 2020. The offences involved providing false documents to officials exercising powers under the Migration Act in relation to applications from non-citizens seeking to remain in Australia. The latest court order brings the total amount forfeited to the Commonwealth to $583,146.44. The man was sentenced in December 2025 to four years in prison and must serve a minimum non-parole period of two-and-a-half years. The confiscated money will be used to support crime prevention programs, strengthen law enforcement capabilities and fund community initiatives. The Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce has restrained more than $1.3 billion worth of criminal assets since July 2019, including property, luxury vehicles, artwork and yachts. The AFP said it would continue targeting criminal proceeds to ensure offenders do not benefit financially from unlawful conduct.