Pictured: Accountant accused of swindling $26m to finance his lavish lifestyle, as his ties to the underworld and an NRL star’s beer company are revealed
- Accountant Ben Carter charged with defrauding $26 million
- Police allege Carter has ties to the Alameddine crime ring
- He was also a key money man for the Drink West beer company.
- There is no suggestion that Drink West or any of its investors are involved in any wrongdoing.
An accountant accused of defrauding clients out of $26 million to finance a gambling addiction allegedly has underworld ties and is a key money man for a beer company partly owned by Australian sports stars.
Police allege that high-flying accountant Ben Carter conned at least eight clients out of $26 million to finance his addiction and lavish lifestyle.
Police also believe that Carter has ties to the Alameddine organized crime network.
Carter is also a money man behind the Drink West beer brand, co-owned by NRL star Nathan Cleary and UFC fighter Tai Tuivasa, along with other investors.
He and his partner Amy Steele (pictured together) were arrested Tuesday.
Accountant Ben Carter (pictured), who police say has ties to the Alameddine crime syndicate and was a money man for celebrity beer Drink West, is accused of defrauding customers of millions.
His accounting firm, based in Penrith, in western Sydney, is listed in the ASIC documents for Drink West.
Carter is understood to have been the company’s chief financial officer at one point, but there is no indication that the sports stars or anyone involved with Drink West was aware of the alleged fraud.
In June, the NSW Police Raptor Squad together with the Board of Tax Professionals launched an investigation into Carter’s Tax Advice office in Penrith.
On Tuesday morning, officers arrested Carter at his home in Silverdale, charging him with defrauding at least eight clients out of $26 million.
Police also arrested his receptionist and partner of 25 years, Amy Steele, at a business in Penrith a short time later.
It is understood that at one point Carter was the CFO of Drink West, a company co-owned by NRL star Nathan Cleary and UFC fighter and fan favorite Tai Tuivasa along with other investors (LR- Nathan Cleary, Tai Tuivasa and Tyson Peter)
An accountant is charged with defrauding at least eight clients of $26 million
A search of Carter’s home and business led to the seizure of electronic devices, hard drives and documents, as well as a small amount of a white powder believed to be cocaine.
Social media reveals that the couple is expecting a child, with a gender reveal image uploaded to social media last month.
Police will allege that Steele attempted to conceal Carter’s fraudulent activity.
A search of Carter’s home and business led to the seizure of electronic devices, hard drives and documents, as well as a small amount of a white powder believed to be cocaine.
Carter is charged with 16 counts, including 14 counts of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception, knowingly dealing in the proceeds of crime and possessing a prohibited drug.
He was denied bail and will return to Penrith local court on Wednesday.
Steele is charged with recklessly handling the proceeds of crime, more than $5,000.
He has been granted conditional bail and will appear in Penrith Local Court on July 27.
The investigations continue.
Social media reveals the couple is expecting a child, with a gender reveal image uploaded to social media last month (pictured)
