A man accused of being the leader of a fraudulent claims farming ring is alleged to have used a well-known law firm to submit a false historical sexual abuse compensation claim worth over $650,000 against the New South Wales government, a court will hear. Fotis Frank Antonios, 54, was arrested in February and is facing 21 charges, which include inciting people to make fraudulent claims of historical child sexual assault and dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage.
Antonios is also accused of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception. According to the police, between 2020 and 2022, he made a false claim for historical child sexual abuse compensation against the Department of Communities and Justice, claiming abuse at Mount Penang Boys Home between 1987 and 1988. It is alleged that the claims resulted in fees of approximately $415,000 paid to Slater and Gordon Lawyers, with a settlement of $244,303.29 paid to Antonios after legal fees, court documents state.
Antonios is also charged with submitting a fraudulent application for compensation to the national redress scheme and gaining financial compensation up to $150,000 from the government. He has been refused bail.
According to the police, Antonios received multiple payments of about $2,200 for referring individuals to the law firm AJB Stevens Lawyers in Sydney, alleging that he incited people to make fraudulent statements of historical child sexual assault or abuse.
No charges have been laid against any law firms, and the police have not suggested that the firms knew the claims were allegedly false.
There are charges against 10 people related to an alleged fraudulent “claims farming” ring. The arrests have been made by New South Wales and Queensland police through Strike Force Veritas in February. Det Supt Gordon Arbinja alleged that “claim farmers” approached former young offenders, inmates, and public school students and encouraged them to file fraudulent compensation claims for historic child sexual abuse while in care.
The claims were brought against the NSW Department of Communities and Justice and the NSW Department of Education.
Antonios and his nine co-accused will face court in Sydney on May 22.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/25/alleged-sexual-abuse-claim-farm-kingpin-used-law-firm-to-get-fraudulent-650000-government-payout-police-allege-ntwnfb
