Archive · 13 Nov 2025
Sydney Mother-Daughter Duo Arrested in $46 Million 'Ghost Car' Scam
Imagine two people, a mom and her daughter, in Sydney, Australia, who pretended to be very helpful.
The mom even said she was a fortune teller who could see a bright future for people.
They convinced people, mostly from Vietnam, to take out big loans.
They told them a rich person would help them out later.
But instead of helping, they used this money for a scam.
They tricked banks into giving them money for fake 'ghost cars' that didn't exist.
This whole thing is called a 'ghost car' scam.
Police caught them in their fancy house with lots of money, gold, and designer bags.
They were part of a big group doing these scams, and police have caught many others and taken back a lot of stolen money and fancy things.
A mother and daughter were arrested in Sydney for their alleged involvement in a $46 million 'ghost car' scam targeting Vietnamese individuals.
The mother posed as a fortune teller, convincing victims to take out loans with promises of future financial security.
The syndicate allegedly defrauded financial institutions by obtaining loans for non-existent luxury 'ghost cars' and engaging in large-scale loan fraud.
Police found gold, designer bags, and casino chips during a raid on the suspects' luxury mansion.
This operation is part of a larger investigation that has led to 17 other arrests and the seizure of $60 million in assets.
- Who
- A 53-year-old mother and her 25-year-old daughter, part of a larger syndicate.
- What
- Arrested for allegedly running a sophisticated fraud and money laundering syndicate that scammed $46 million (A$70m) from Vietnamese targets in Australia using 'ghost cars' and other loan fraud.
- When
- Arrested on Wednesday, with investigations ongoing since 2024.
- Where
- Dover Heights, Sydney, Australia.
- Why
- Allegedly defrauding individuals and financial institutions through elaborate loan schemes and money laundering.
- Total Scammed Amount
- A$70 million (approx. $46 million USD)
- Location of Arrest
- Dover Heights, Sydney, Australia
- Arrest Date
- Wednesday
- Mother's Charges
- 39 (including directing criminal group, misleading people, financially exploiting vulnerable)
- Daughter's Charges
- 7 (including dealing with proceeds of crime, being part of criminal group)
- Assets Seized
- Gold bar, designer handbags, casino chips, financial documents, mobile phones
- Other Arrests
- 17 people since 2024
- Total Assets Seized by Police
- $60 million