SYDNEY, Australia — Billal Chami, 31, a director of a disability support company, has been charged over a multimillion-dollar fraud involving the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Authorities allege Chami withdrew $3.5 million through fraudulent NDIS claims, which was later laundered to conceal the crime.
Chami was arrested in December after an investigation by the Australian Government Fraud Fusion Taskforce (FFT) uncovered anomalies in his finances. During a raid of his Villawood home by the Australian Federal Police and NDIS officials, investigators seized $35,000 in cash along with air guns and gel blasters. Footage showed Chami seated on his veranda as the search was conducted.
Authorities allege Chami made repeated withdrawals from multiple bank accounts between 2022 and 2025 to facilitate laundering suspected proceeds of crime. The fraud reportedly involved NDIS claims for services and supports that were never provided to participants.
Chami has been issued a court attendance notice to appear before Downing Centre Local Court. He faces charges of dealing with money reasonably suspected to be proceeds of an indictable crime to the value of $1 million or more. The maximum penalty for the offence is four years’ imprisonment.
