A Sydney man is expected to appear in Downing Centre Court in Sydney tomorrow (16 January 2024) charged with using inside information to bet on the outcome of five Australian of the Year awards.
The Collaroy man, 47, is alleged to have used information from a Commonwealth employee to place a series of bets on the awards between 2017 and 2021.
Operation Maridun began in February 2021 when the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) provided a report to the AFP about betting irregularities in the 2021 Australian of the Year awards.
The man has been charged with six counts of using inside information for betting purposes contrary to section 193Q of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW).
The maximum penalty is two years’ imprisonment.
The AFP will allege the man received $7542 from $1767 worth of bets.
AFP Commander Stephen Nutt said detecting and disrupting major financial crime based on inside information was a key priority of the AFP and its partner agencies.
“Unlawful use of inside information undermines the integrity of events betting and disadvantages those who play by the rules,” Commander Nutt said.
“The misuse of official or privileged information also erodes public trust in our institutions.
“The AFP, ACIC, Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) and other agencies are constantly on the lookout for suspicious activity on betting and other accounts and can act swiftly if criminal activity occurs.”
Operation Maridun remains an open investigation.
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