A dole bludger who scammed Centrelink for 23 years has been found with $250,000 cash stashed in a safe at her home, as she admits to charging others to help them cheat the welfare system.
Rebecca Assie pleaded guilty last week to dealing with money reasonably believed to be the proceeds of crime, as well as to conspiring with four others to dishonestly cause a loss to a third person – Centrelink, Sydney Morning Herald reported.
The 61-year-old Sydney grandmother is believed to have conspired with her late husband, Jamal Elali, between February 2013 to September 2015, to help four others obtain welfare payments.
The pair allegedly scammed $137,397 from Centrelink for their customers in exchange for cash.
Rebecca Assie pleaded guilty on Wednesday to dealing with money reasonably believed to be the proceeds of crime, as well as to conspiring with four others to dishonestly cause a loss to a third person – Centrelink
According to a police statement of facts, Assie would complete the welfare forms without her husband’s help, make medical appointments and then adjusted them, while also paying medical practitioners.
She was also found with nine mobile phones and SIM cards.
Assie would then organise to meet up with her customers to exchange the forms and money.
One woman received over $66,647 in welfare payments and paid Assie and her husband $8000 for their help, the publication reported.
Others paid the couple $700-$800 for assisting them with the fraud.
Her home was raided by police in 2013 and police found the $250,000, believed to be a result of crime, according to agreed facts.
Two years ago, Assie was accused of ripping off the taxpayer of $200,000 by claiming to be blind for 21 years and receiving a disability pension.
During her time claiming benefits, Assie managed to pass sight tests to get her drivers’ licence.
The 61-year-old Sydney grandmother is believed to have conspired with her late husband, Jamal Elali, between February 2013 to September 2015
Two years ago, Assie was accused of ripping off the taxpayer of $200,000 by claiming to be blind for 21 years and receiving a disability pension (stock)
At the time, A Current Affair filmed her going about her day as if she weren’t blind.
‘She received $209,000 in payments… We discovered, however, that she did not have that impairment,’ Human Services Minister Alan Tudge told the program.
In 1990, Ms Assie saw ophthalmologist Dr Michael Silva, who said her ‘ability to work in paid employment’ was affected ‘not at all’ by her eyesight.
‘I cannot understand why this patient is applying for a pension. She has normal corrected vision for distance and near,’ he said in his report.
But Ms Assie went to another doctor, Wadie Hadded, who said she was blind and soon after, she was granted a disability pension.
During her time on the pension, Ms Assie renewed her drivers licence several times.
She claims she has never driven a car and that she held a licence only as a form of identification.
But that doesn’t explain how she passed the eye sight tests she needed to gain her licence, according to Administrative Appeals Tribunal documents.
The Department of Human Services is now pursuing Ms Assie to repay the full amount of $209,499.90
When Centrelink requested that Ms Assie take an eye test, she allegedly faked her supposed condition.
‘A person who wished to exaggerate their vision impairment or to feign permanent blindness could simply pretend not to be able to read any letter of the Snellen chart or see the chart itself,’ the doctor who assessed her wrote.
The doctor had ‘very significant doubts’ Ms Assie’s vision impairment was genuine.
The Department of Human Services is now pursuing Ms Assie to repay the full amount of $209,499.90.
She remains on bail, and is due to appear in court for sentencing in July.