Craigieburn woman catches taxi fraud conviction

23 Feb 2012

MEDIA RELEASE: 23 February 2012

A Craigieburn woman has pleaded guilty in the Broadmeadows Magistrates' Court to defrauding the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) of more than $50,000 over three-and-a-half years.

41 year old Hanaa Elmobayed contravened the Crimes Act 1958 by claiming reimbursements for taxi services she had not used.
Ms Elmobayed submitted taxi receipts to the TAC from May 2007 to November 2010. Many of the receipts were handwritten copies and taxi companies had no record of pick ups at her address on those dates.

Ms Elmobayed pleaded guilty to obtaining a financial advantage by deception contrary to the Crimes Act 1958.

Magistrate Patrick Southey convicted and sentenced Ms Elmobayed to six months imprisonment wholly suspended for two years, and ordered restitution of $50,663.25 and $600 costs.

A TAC spokesperson said the organisation took fraud very seriously and where there was evidence of deception, the TAC would exercise its strong legislative powers to investigate and prosecute.