Australian lawyer arrested for third time in Papua New Guinea over alleged $100m fraud

The Guardian report

Police say alleged misappropriation of funds the ‘single biggest fraud’ ever investigated by PNG force

An Australian lawyer has been arrested for the third time in Papua New Guinea over the alleged misappropriation of 268m kina ($AUD104m) from a trust fund linked to the controversial Ok Tedi mine, alongside three others.

Greg Sheppard, a former Queensland crown prosecutor, has previously been charged with eight counts of financial misconduct including money laundering. He was arrested and bailed in January and June.

Edna Oai, Annie Smerewai and Boston Kassiman, all directors of the Ok Tedi Fly River Development Foundation Limited (OTFRDF), have also been arrested and charged with 15 counts of financial crime including misappropriation and false pretence.

Police on Wednesday described the allegations, if proven, as the “single biggest fraud that has ever been investigated by police in the history of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary”.

Read their full article at  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/29/australian-lawyer-arrested-for-third-time-in-papua-new-guinea-over-alleged-100m