Two men charged by Victoria's construction sector corruption taskforce

Two men have been arrested by Victoria Police's anti-corruption taskforce, accused of involvement in a fraud scheme totaling over $424,000. Taskforce Hawk detectives allege that one of the suspects, a 45-year-old man from Wandin East, was responsible for the fraudulent activity. The charges against him include obtaining financial advantage by deception, making false documents, and using false documents.

The Preston man, aged 38, faces a charge of making false documents. Both men were arrested on Tuesday morning following a joint raid by Taskforce Hawk and the VIPER Taskforce at two properties in Wandin East and Preston. The Wandin East man is also subject to a Firearm Prohibition Order, having failed to notify authorities of a change of address within the required 24-hour period.

Police claim this arrest is part of an ongoing investigation into secret commissions, drug trafficking, and fraud within the construction sector. Last week, six properties, including the CFMEU's CBD headquarters, were raided, leading to the arrest of five men. The Victoria Police taskforce was established in June 2024 to combat corruption and criminal activity in the construction industry, particularly focusing on the infiltration by outlaw motorcycle gangs into major government infrastructure projects.