Australian Defence Force member’s costly lies unravel their career

Relevant impacts: Financial impact, reputational impact and security impact.

An Australian Defence Force (ADF) member made a false statement when lodging a relocation application, stating their dependents were accompanying them and sharing ADF subsidised housing for the duration of their posting. This allowed the ADF member to receive a financial benefit of $40,000, which they were not entitled to.

The ADF member was found guilty in a civilian criminal court and convicted with a $1,500 fine and court costs. They were discharged from the ADF and the Department of Defence recovered the fraud loss.