Latest news with #Oyetunji
Sydney Morning Herald
29-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Half of NSW's $222 million spend had no ‘tangible output', audit finds
NSW taxpayers spent $222 million on measures to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians but less than half led to tangible outcomes for First Nations people, a damning audit has found. The report, released on Thursday by NSW Auditor-General Bola Oyetunji, found the premier's department had inadequate oversight and a 'passive approach' to monitoring how state funding for Closing the Gap measures were being spent. The 2022 NSW budget included $222 million to deliver programs and initiatives under the Closing the Gap national agreement signed in 2020, to cover four years until 2024. But only 38 per cent of the 142 initiatives funded had a 'tangible output' in the form of grants or direct funding to improve outcomes for Indigenous people. A further 49 per cent delivered reviews or frameworks 'without clarity on how this would contribute to an outcome', the audit found. 'Some individual projects conducted under the National Agreement have established effective partnerships and are beginning to demonstrate positive results,' Oyetunji concluded. 'However … governance arrangements do not provide adequate oversight of delivery.' Loading The auditor-general questioned a $9 million government grant given to the NSW Coalition of Aboriginal Peak Organisations (NSW CAPO) to hire 22 full-time staff across the eight peak bodies it represents. When Oyetunji's office requested an update on the funding, neither the government nor NSW CAPO could say how many of the positions had been filled. NSW CAPO did not respond to specific questions about the grant. Co-chair Charles Lynch welcomed the report's recommendations as 'a chance to strengthen how we work – both internally and in partnership'.
The Age
29-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
Half of NSW's $222 million spend had no ‘tangible output', audit finds
NSW taxpayers spent $222 million on measures to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians but less than half led to tangible outcomes for First Nations people, a damning audit has found. The report, released on Thursday by NSW Auditor-General Bola Oyetunji, found the premier's department had inadequate oversight and a 'passive approach' to monitoring how state funding for Closing the Gap measures were being spent. The 2022 NSW budget included $222 million to deliver programs and initiatives under the Closing the Gap national agreement signed in 2020, to cover four years until 2024. But only 38 per cent of the 142 initiatives funded had a 'tangible output' in the form of grants or direct funding to improve outcomes for Indigenous people. A further 49 per cent delivered reviews or frameworks 'without clarity on how this would contribute to an outcome', the audit found. 'Some individual projects conducted under the National Agreement have established effective partnerships and are beginning to demonstrate positive results,' Oyetunji concluded. 'However … governance arrangements do not provide adequate oversight of delivery.' Loading The auditor-general questioned a $9 million government grant given to the NSW Coalition of Aboriginal Peak Organisations (NSW CAPO) to hire 22 full-time staff across the eight peak bodies it represents. When Oyetunji's office requested an update on the funding, neither the government nor NSW CAPO could say how many of the positions had been filled. NSW CAPO did not respond to specific questions about the grant. Co-chair Charles Lynch welcomed the report's recommendations as 'a chance to strengthen how we work – both internally and in partnership'.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Yahoo
Nigerian man accused of stealing taxpayer data from Mass. firms to file over 1,000 fake tax returns
A Nigerian national living in Mexico has been extradited to the United States for his role in a scheme to break into Massachusetts tax preparation firms' computer networks, steal data, and file more than 1,000 fake tax returns. Matthew A. Akande, 36, who is accused of filing the fraudulent tax returns seeking millions of dollars in tax refunds, was arrested in October at Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom at the request of the United States, the U.S. Attorney said. Akande was extradited to the U.S. on Wednesday, the same day he appeared in federal court, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement. Foley said Akande and others allegedly filed more than 1,000 fraudulent tax returns seeking over $8.1 million in fraudulent tax refunds over approximately five years. They allegedly successfully obtained over $1.3 million in fraudulent tax refunds. Akande was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2022 with one count of conspiracy to obtain unauthorized access to protected computers in furtherance of fraud and to commit theft of government money and money laundering; one count of wire fraud; four counts of unauthorized access to protected computers in furtherance of fraud; 13 counts of theft of government money; and 14 counts of aggravated identity theft. Another person, Kehinde H. Oyetunji, 33, a Nigerian national living in North Dakota, pleaded guilty in December 2022 to one count of conspiracy to obtain unauthorized access to protected computers in furtherance of fraud and to commit theft of government money and money laundering, Foley said. Oyetunji's sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. Prosecutors allege that between about June 2016 and June 2021, Akande, Oyetunji and others worked together to steal money from the United States government using taxpayers' personally identifiable information to file fraudulent tax returns in the taxpayers' names. In addition, about February 2020, the scheme involved stealing taxpayers' personal information from Massachusetts tax preparation firms via phishing attacks and computer intrusions, prosecutors said. To carry out the scheme, Akande is accused of sending fraudulent phishing emails to five Massachusetts tax preparation firms. 'The emails purported to be from a prospective client seeking the tax preparation firms' services but in truth were used to trick the firms into downloading remote access trojan malicious software (RAT malware), including malware known as Warzone RAT,' Foley said. Prosecutors allege that Akande used the RAT malware to obtain the personal information, and prior year tax information of the tax preparation firms' clients, and then filed the fraudulent tax returns seeking refunds. The tax returns directed that the fraudulent tax refunds be deposited in bank accounts allegedly opened by Oyetunji and others, prosecutors said. Once the refunds were issued, Oyetunji and others withdrew the stolen money in cash in the United States and then transferred a portion to third parties in Mexico, allegedly at Akande's direction, while keeping a portion for themselves. Federal authorities encourage all businesses that suspect they have been the target and/or victim of a cyberattack to file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at Taxpayers and tax preparation firms that suspect they have been the target or the victim of a phishing attack can also forward phishing emails to phishing@ For the charge of conspiracy, Akande faces a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. For the charge of wire fraud provides, Akande faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. For the charges of unauthorized access to protected computers in furtherance of fraud, Akande faces a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. For the charges of theft of government money, Akande faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. For the charges of aggravated identity theft, Akande faces a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
