They built a business empire that cashes in on veterans. It's made millions

In Brisbane's industrial estate, a seemingly lavish office building concealed a vast business empire focused on veterans. This empire, known as Veteran Benefits Australia (VBA), was the creation of exercise physiologist Nick Flanigan and pharmacist Tom Bailey. The organization seemed to merely connect veterans to taxpayer-funded care, but a Four Corners investigation revealed a much more sinister operation.

VBA's network, composed of over 70 companies, systematically exploited veterans by turning them into valuable sales leads. Veterans were lured in with freebies and competitions on social media, often providing their Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) details in the process. These details were then passed from one entity to another, each billing the DVA for various services, including medicinal cannabis and free medication packs.

An internal email revealed that staff were instructed to convince veterans to transfer their DVA-funded GP care plans to VBA, allowing them to access additional care services. Multiple allied health practitioners, often unbeknownst to the veterans, billed VBA for services they had never provided. Veterans themselves reported being bombarded with calls from multiple practitioners, many of whom they had never met.

The government's response to veterans' struggles with compensation and care led to a significant influx of funding, creating an opportunity for for-profit companies to capitalize on connecting veterans to necessary care. VBA itself began as a blog connecting veterans to independent services but evolved into a marketing funnel for the larger ecosystem.

Veterans were enticed with free headphones, backpacks, smart watches, and holiday competitions, all requiring the provision of their DVA details. Once within the system, veterans faced repeated calls from practitioners trying to enroll them in various programs, many of which were billed to the DVA. One veteran complained that mental health check-in calls were often less than five minutes in duration and were cut short, describing it as a scam intended to generate government funding.

Despite health providers being prohibited from using advertising to offer inducements to DVA clients, the ads ran unchecked on Facebook, funnelling veterans into the system for years. Internal photos from a 2024 leadership retreat showed Flanigan highlighting the ecosystem's initiatives, including expanding social work services and a new program.

This exposé highlights how VBA's network exploited veterans, generating millions by preying on their vulnerable situation and exploiting a system designed to help them.