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7NEWS
9 hours ago
- 7NEWS
The Issue with Tim Lester: 7NEWS sits down with the Ukraine's ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko
For Vasyl Myroshnychenko, going home is always going to be a hell of a trip. 'Overnight, it was just a massive drone and missile attack,' he says, telling how he was jarred in and out of sleep by explosions. 'So it was one of those tough nights.' The 44-year-old has been Ukraine's Ambassador in Australia since March 2022, taking the job in the days after Vladimir Putin's forces invaded his country. In the years since, Myroshnychenko has been a regular traveller between his work in Canberra and his long-term home in Kyiv. I spoke with him by video call in his Kyiv apartment, in the middle of his ninth trip back as Ambassador. With each trip, there's news on the war's toll. This time, Myroshnychenko learns about a hometown classmate who vanished two years ago. A DNA test on remains, recently discovered, has only just confirmed his death. His burial was held two days before my conversation with the Ambassador. 'And he's got two kids, his wife left behind. And there are numerous stories like that,' he said. For Myroshnychenko, it's critical Australians care about Ukraine's fight to turn back the Russian invasion. 'You're invested in the deterrence,' he said. 'Russians are conducting joint naval military exercises with Indonesia. 'They requested Indonesia … grant them access to an airfield in Papua. 'How far is Papua from Cairns? It's just around the corner. 'They wanted to have their strategic bombers.' He's referring to the controversy that erupted in April, mid-federal election campaign in Australia, with claims Russia had asked Indonesia to base long-range military aircraft at a military airfield in Papua, North of Darwin. Indonesia quickly reassured the Albanese Government that any such request would be turned down. The underlying concern — around Russia's long term plans in Australia's region — was left unaddressed. For Myroshnychenko, Russia's behaviour in Ukraine tells us all we need to know about its intentions. Worse, he argues, it is leading the way to anarchy. 'If Russia can get away with what they've done because they've got nuclear weapons, because they're a permanent member of the UN Security Council, guess what? Everybody else can do it,' he said. 'What kind of world are we going to live in? Is it a world of a jungle where the might is right? Can Australia survive in the world of a jungle?' On the state of the war, the Ambassador says he's optimistic. 'I believe Ukraine is winning,' he said. Myroshnychenko points to Ukraine's now infamous 'Operation Spider Web'. About 117 remote-controlled drones were smuggled into Russia over an 18-month period and launched toward prized Russian strategic bombers parked at airbases across the country. The raid damaged or destroyed roughly one-third of Russia's long-range strike fleet. 'This is asymmetric warfare. This is what Australia should learn from Ukraine,' Myroshnychenko said. As Ambassador, Myroshnychenko is regularly promoting deeper contacts between Ukraine's and Australia's militaries. 'I hope you never have to fight, but if you do … because you are a smaller country … most likely your enemy will be much bigger, right?' he said. 'War is a mother of innovation. War is driving that change, is driving the transformation, one way or another,' he says. It's the silver lining Myroshnychenko sees in his country's deadly fight with Russia. 'You can assist us, but you can also benefit from us.' For more from Tim Lester and his interview with Vasyl Myroshnychenko, you can watch their full conversation for The Issue in the video above or subscribe to the podcast here.
SBS Australia
a day ago
- SBS Australia
The $200 trick criminals use to turn some Australians into 'money mules'
Criminals are offering Australians as little as $200 to rent out their bank accounts, turning people into "money mules". The Australian Federal Police (AFP) warned this week that renting, selling or sharing your bank account details is illegal and can expose you to serious risk, even if you don't realise a crime is being committed. The AFP said in many cases, people are offered between $200 and $500, or promised a cut of the transferred funds, simply for receiving and passing on money through their personal bank accounts. That money is often funnelled through cryptocurrency platforms or withdrawn in cash to make it harder to trace. AFP detective superintendent Marie Andersson said criminals rely on everyday Australians to help move their money. "It is illegal to rent, buy or sell bank accounts, and doing so supports the criminal ecosystem," Andersson said. "Your account may be housing money derived from scams, extortion, drug trafficking and terrorism." The AFP said a 26-year-old woman was jailed in April this year as part of a money laundering syndicate which used money mules in Sydney and Melbourne to pick up and deposit cash — which was alleged to be the proceeds of criminal activity — into bank accounts. These accounts were used to launder $3.8 million in proceeds of crime, which were ultimately transferred overseas. Mule accounts a 'key tactic in a criminal's playbook' According to the Commonwealth Bank, many people who act as money mules are not aware they are doing anything wrong. Some are recruited through job scams or social media ads offering easy income, while others are approached by friends or acquaintances. Young people, students and new arrivals to Australia are often targeted. An example of a money mule scam text message. Source: Supplied / Commonwealth Bank Australian Banking Association CEO Anna Bligh said mule accounts were a key part of a scammer's business model and banks were focused on identifying, investigating and shutting them down. "Using mule accounts to hide and move stolen money around is a key tactic in a criminal's playbook," Bligh said. "I urge Australians to steer clear if you've seen an advertisement or are approached to rent or sell your bank account. There's a good chance you're being recruited to hide the profits of criminal activity." To stay safe, the AFP and banks recommend: Never sharing your bank account or login details with anyone Avoiding job offers that involve receiving and forwarding money. Reporting anything suspicious to your bank, Scamwatch or ReportCyber.
Sky News AU
2 days ago
- Sky News AU
National law firm investigating potential class action against First Guardian Master Fund and Shield Master Fund after accusations of operating Ponzi scheme as more than $1bn on the line
Lawyers from Slater and Gordon are investigating a potential class action on behalf of investors against two collapsed superfunds - First Guardian Master Fund and Shield Master Fund - as they face accusations of running a Ponzi scheme. The national law firm has advised not only are 12,000 Australians expected to be affected by the alleged scheme, but more than $1b is at stake of being lost to the collapsed funds. Keystone Asset Management, the responsible entity for the Shield Master Fund, and Falcon Capital, the manager of the First Guardian Master Fund, have both entered into liquidation with ASIC understood to be carrying out a range of investigations against all parties involved. Previously ASIC deputy chair Sarah Court said ASIC's investigations are looking at the entire chain, including conduct of the lead generators, the financial advisers, the superannuation platforms, 'who we think have a real role here', and the research houses that 'listed these funds as investable'. Slater and Gordon principal lawyer in class actions Andy Wei confirmed the firm is investigating claims that investors were advised to roll their superannuation assets into largely unreliable funds, which has now caused great uncertainty amongst investors on how much of their funds would be recoverable. 'What we're seeing here is potentially deliberate misleading of investors, many of whom are everyday Australians looking to secure their nest eggs,' Mr Wei said. 'They were repeatedly assured that their superannuation would flow into diversified portfolios with steady returns.' He said despite this assurance, 'recent information shows that these funds were largely illiquid with their values grossly overstated.' Mr Wei added illiquid assets such as real estate, retirement accounts, collectibles and private equity could be harder to recover without 'significant loss of value'. He affirmed there is a chance that more than 12,000 Australians could be left out of pocket, with more than $1bn in superannuation 'potentially wiped out'. 'These are people's savings, and they deserve far better than this,' he said. 'Superannuation is meant to be tightly regulated, and many investors likely believed their money was safely managed by trusted, blue-chip superannuation companies.' A Slater and Gordon spokesman highlighted conduct issues at First Guardian 'observed' by FTI Consulting liquidators and accused the superfund of operating a Ponzi scheme with thousands of Australian's superannuation. 'Slater and Gordon understand that the liquidators of First Guardian have observed issues arising from co-mingling of investor funds, such that investors' monies were mixed up and used to pay for other investors' redemptions, or investment commitments and management fees, when ordinarily those redemptions, commitments, and fees should have come from income generated through investment activities,' they told NewsWire. 'Conduct of this kind is common to that seen in Ponzi schemes, and how this was allowed to occur forms a part of our investigation.' Mr Wei has urged investors who have been affected to come forward and contact the firm to help shaped the best path forward for recovery of their funds.
