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Authorities in Australia have arrested dual Australian-Nigerian national, Foluso Omole, at an airport as he allegedly attempted to flee the country over a $5 million fraud case.
Omole, said to be the director of a registered National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provider, was apprehended by operatives of the Australian Federal Police at Adelaide Airport last Friday, ABC News reports.
Omole, 38, was arraigned at the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday, where his bail application was refused by Magistrate Patrick Hill, who ruled that he posed a flight risk.
Prosecutors said the defendant had “cut ties” in Australia and bought a “one-way ticket” to fly to Nigeria when he was apprehended.
Prosecutors also told the court that the defendant had sent significant funds to Nigeria, where his wife resides, over the course of his offending.
He was reportedly working as an NDIS coordinator and operating two businesses that employed several staff at the time of the alleged offences.
According to prosecutors, thousands of fraudulent claims were allegedly used to drain funds from the NDIS, a federal scheme with about $50 billion in annual costs.
Authorities allege Omole obtained information improperly from a female National Disability Insurance Agency staff over the course of six years and his company was involved in fraudulently submitting and processing the claims that led to losses totaling up to $5 million.
The woman is expected to appear in court on Thursday.
However, Omole’s lawyer, Mark Twiggs, denied claims that his client planned to flee to Nigeria.
He said his client had informed him that he bought a “return ticket” to London, before police raided the woman’s home in the course of investigation.
