An Australian man, 52, has faced court in Brisbane today after being extradited to Australia from Poland. The man was escorted to Australia by members of the AFP’s Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (FAST) following an investigation by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
The man was charged with eight counts of fraud, totalling $977,000.
It will be alleged between May 2016 and November 2017, the man dishonestly used funds provided to him by investors for unauthorised purposes, including to buy real estate and luxury cars for his family members and related companies, and to pay returns to other investors.
Investigations by the AFP’s FAST members identified the man as living in the Ukraine in 2019. He was subsequently arrested by Polish authorities in November 2021 when he travelled to Warsaw.
The AFP worked closely with ASIC, the Australian Attorney‑General’s Department and Polish authorities throughout the extradition process.
AFP Superintendent Transnational Operations Jared Taggart said the arrest showed the strong partnership between Australian and international authorities to bring offenders to justice.
“These operations demonstrate the cooperation between Australian and international authorities and serve as a warning to those who think they can hide overseas, you are not untouchable and the Australian Government will not stop looking for you,” Superintendent Taggart said.
AFP’s FAST aims to make it easier for law enforcement agencies across multiple jurisdictions to jointly investigate alleged criminals who have fled the law, share intelligence, and strengthen cooperation between partners to conduct complex and cross-border investigations.
