New South Wales police have dismantled what they describe as a highly sophisticated money laundering syndicate, arresting a self-proclaimed fortune teller and an accomplice over an alleged fraud totalling a staggering $70 million.
The Arrests and Allegations
Officers arrested two women at a property in the affluent Sydney suburb of Dover Heights on Wednesday morning. The alleged mastermind is Anya Phan, 54, who presented herself as both a fortune teller and a feng shui master. A 25-year-old woman was also taken into custody.
Police allege that Phan specifically targeted vulnerable individuals within the Sydney Vietnamese community. She is accused of convincing clients that she could see a "billionaire" in their future, persuading them to take out substantial financial loans based on these predictions. Phan then allegedly took a significant share of these loan amounts for herself.
Seized Assets and Extensive Charges
During the arrests, police seized a trove of evidence including financial documents, mobile phones, electronics, and luxury handbags. More notably, they confiscated a 40-gram gold bar worth approximately $10,000 and $6,600 in casino chips.
Anya Phan was charged with a total of 39 offences at Surry Hills police station. The charges are severe and include knowingly directing the activities of a criminal group, 19 counts of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception, and 13 counts of knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime. She was refused bail and appeared at Downing Centre Local Court.
The younger co-accused was charged with two counts of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and recklessly dealing with proceeds of crime. She was granted conditional bail and is scheduled to face court in January.
Strike Force Myddleton and a Wider Web of Crime
The alleged fortune-telling fraud came to light as part of a larger investigation, Strike Force Myddleton, which initially focused on an automotive financing syndicate in January 2024. That probe uncovered the use of stolen personal information to apply for loans to purchase non-existent luxury 'ghost cars'.
Detective Superintendent Gordon Arbinja stated that the investigation expanded to reveal one of the most sophisticated financial crime syndicates he has encountered. "What began as an investigation into fraudulent car financing has expanded into uncovering one of the most [alleged] sophisticated financial crime syndicates I have seen in my career," he said.
In a significant move, the NSW Crime Commission has frozen an additional $15 million in assets linked to the scheme. This is separate from the approximately $60 million in assets already restrained in relation to 17 people previously charged under the same strike force.
Darren Bennett, Executive Director of the NSW Crime Commission, emphasised that "recovering assets is not just about punishment – it’s about restoring confidence and returning value to the people of NSW."
