A Melbourne woman has been charged by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) as part of a major money laundering investigation that uncovered luxury watches, gold bullion, and cash worth nearly $400,000.
The 43-year-old was arrested at her Braybrook home on 24 March, 2025 and appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.
Police allege she used a café, which she opened in mid-2022, to funnel illicit funds while blending them with legitimate earnings.
AFP Detective Inspector Rick Briggs said financial crime fuels further illegal activity, and authorities are committed to disrupting such operations.
“Financial gain is a common motivation for criminals, and the AFP is working tirelessly to hold offenders to account and ensure they do not enjoy lavish lifestyles at the expense of the community or reinvest tainted wealth into other illicit ventures,” Det Insp Briggs said.
“The AFP will ensure people lawfully justify the assets they accumulate.”
Investigators claim the woman made 40 cash deposits under $10,000 between July 2022 and November 2023, a tactic designed to evade mandatory reporting under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006.
A raid on her home in September 2023 led to the seizure of four luxury watches valued at $250,000, more than $32,000 in cash, and 680 grams of gold bullion worth approximately $112,000. Officers also confiscated encrypted mobile phones, multiple SIM cards, handwritten notes referencing cryptocurrency, and property-related documents.
The woman faces multiple charges, including:
- Engaging in conduct involving proceeds of crime exceeding $100,000, carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment.
- Structuring transactions to avoid reporting requirements, which carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.
- Failing to comply with an AFP order under the Crimes Act, punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
Further AFP inquiries allegedly revealed that the woman’s declared income was significantly lower than her accumulated wealth, raising suspicions of financial misconduct.
The charges stem from a broader AFP investigation into drug and money laundering activities in Victoria. In June 2022, police charged a 33-year-old St Albans man—allegedly connected to the woman—with drug and proceeds-of-crime offences. His case remains before the courts.
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