A solicitor from Bondi Junction is facing serious criminal charges after police alleged he siphoned almost AUD 15 million ($10.6 million) from his own clients and funnelled the money into gambling.
Investigators claim the 45-year-old quietly moved funds out of a series of business and trust accounts and into accounts he controlled, doing so repeatedly over close to two years. The money, detectives will allege in court, was then used to cover heavy gambling losses.
The case first came to light in September 2025, when the NSW Law Society alerted authorities to irregular transactions linked to a law firm in Sydney’s east. The tip-off led the NSW Police Force’s Financial Crimes Squad to establish Strike Force Salbrook to dig deeper into the firm’s financial records.
According to police, the suspected conduct stretches back to April 2023 and continued until February 2025. Over that period, investigators believe about $14.8 million was diverted from client-controlled accounts and channelled into gambling activities before anyone detected what was happening.
After months of forensic accounting and document reviews, officers arrested the man at Maroubra Police Station shortly after 10am on Thursday (February 26). He has been charged with four counts of “dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.”
He appeared before the Bail Division of the Local Court later that day and was refused bail.
Detective Superintendent Gordon Arbinja, who heads the Financial Crimes Squad, said the Law Society’s involvement was crucial in unravelling the matter. “This referral was instrumental in allowing detectives to uncover the full extent of the alleged conduct,” he said in a statement.
He said the allegations strike at the heart of professional trust. “Solicitors hold a position of immense trust within our community, and the alleged conduct identified by Strike Force Salbrook is deeply concerning,” Arbinja said.
The allegations come amid a string of gambling-linked cases across New South Wales involving significant sums of money and alleged breaches of trust.
In one recent matter, a former NSW hotel licensee was fined $44,000 for allowing patrons to gamble outside approved trading hours, highlighting regulators’ ongoing focus on illegal gambling activity in licensed venues.
In another case that shocked many in law enforcement, a NSW police officer admitted selling more than $1 million worth of gold bullion to feed a gambling addiction. Authorities said the officer’s actions were driven by mounting losses.
Police have stressed that Strike Force Salbrook is still active. Detectives are continuing to examine financial records and trace transactions to determine exactly how the alleged scheme operated and whether additional charges could be laid.
The solicitor’s case is expected to return to court later this year.
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