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A fourth person has been charged for her alleged role in a $71 million Defence contract fraud scheme in the Northern Territory.
Police charged a Darwin woman, 45, who is a director of a local building company, alleging her links to the Defence contract scam. She has been charged with fraud and corruption offences.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) led Operation Panton Hill, which was launched in March 2025 following a referral from the Department of Defence.
This most recent charge comes after three other individuals were arrested and charged on 14 November for fraud and corruption in the alleged scheme.
The AFP alleges that the initial three – a Commonwealth employee, his spouse, and a director of a local construction firm – conspired to profit at the expense of the Department of Defence by influencing the award of contracts to the company.
Investigators claim the employee used his official position to influence the allocation of Defence contracts.
The AFP will allege in court that the woman conspired with the other three charged.
The joint investigation between the AFP, the Department of Defence and National Anti-Corruption Commission was prompted following the identification of alleged irregularities uncovered during an internal Defence review regarding awarding of contracts, identifying that $71 million was awarded to a Northern Territory business.
“Defrauding the Commonwealth is a crime that prevents public funds from being used to support the wider Australian community, and we will not hesitate to investigate suspected criminal activity to bring offenders to justice,” AFP Superintendent Greg Davis said.
“The AFP has specialised and skilled investigators across the country and maintains strong partnerships with state, territory and commonwealth agencies.”
Operation Panton Hill remains an active investigation.
