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False claim at NIS lands woman in court

Jun 19, 2010 News

Surdaj Chung, 36, of Lot 13 Hendbury Avenue, Nandy Park, was yesterday placed on $500,000 bail after she pleaded not guilty to 14 charges ranging from obtaining money by false pretence to forgery.
The allegation was that the woman forged several receipts from Medicare Pharmacy over a two-year period.
The court heard that Chung later submitted the seven forged receipts to the National Insurance Scheme and obtained $466,375.
Chung’s lawyer, Ronald Burch-Smith, in a bail application said that she was not a flight risk. He added that at no time did she attempt to leave the jurisdiction.
The lawyer explained that the police have made records of his client refusing to say anything, but was only because he had advised her against doing that.
He said that police have the practice of showing “small bytes” of information whenever they are dealing with a fraud case.
Burch-Smith asked the court to take into consideration that his client is a mother of a three-year-old child who solely depends on her. He said that she also suffers from hypertension.
Police Prosecutor Stephen Telford, did not oppose bail but asked that it be substantial; for her to report to the Criminal Investigations Department weekly, and also to lodge her passport.
The prosecutor explained that Chung had purchased medication from the Medicare Pharmacy. The court was told that the woman later forged the receipts and made a claim at the National Insurance Scheme for $466,378.
The prosecutor said that agents at NIS saw the claim and concerns were raised and an investigation was launched.
The investigation revealed that the woman was only eligible for a claim of $29,050.
Telford told the court that Chung had all intentions to defraud NIS.
Burch-Smith interjected and told the court that asking for his client’s passport and also for her to report to the station was too much for the prosecution to ask for.
“My client in the investigation stage did not run from the police…why would she do it now?” Burch-Smith questioned.
The lawyer told the court that his client’s passport has expired and if the prosecution wanted to satisfy their mind, they should “blacklist” her.
The Magistrate granted Chung $500,000 bail and ordered her to return to court on July 30.

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