The alleged kidnap plot that last month resulted in serious charges against Clive Palmer's media adviser was first reported to the Queensland Police fraud squad two years ago - but the unit failed to act.

The ABC can reveal the Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) has been asked to investigate the fraud squad's failure to move on detailed evidence provided by the National Australia Bank just days after the alleged unlawful detention of one of its employees in Indonesia in January 2013.

The Queensland Police Service said it had launched a review of the handling of the case.

A spokesman for the NAB told the ABC the company had reported the matter to authorities within days of the incident and provided a "full briefing" to police.

Senior law enforcement sources have told the ABC the NAB took a 109-page statement from the employee and provided it to the QPS fraud squad on January 30, 2013.

Detectives from the Taskforce Maxima anti-bikie unit this year stumbled on emails and other evidence relating to the alleged incident while investigating former Queensland detective-turned private investigator Mick Featherstone, his links to bikies and to former and serving police officers, and allegations of money laundering.

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A senior police source said officers had immediately approached the NAB but the bank had responded: "We already told you about this."

When officers checked police computers they could find no record of any complaint having been received by the fraud squad.

"There were no records - zero," a senior investigator told the ABC. "At best it's complete indolence."

"The case was left to its own devices. Nothing was done," another senior Queensland Police source said.

Arrests made last month

Featherstone and Mr Palmer's media adviser and confidant Andrew Crook were arrested last month and charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice, retaliating against a witness and attempted fraud.

An arrest warrant was issued for former Sydney Swans player-turned millionaire property developer Tony Smith, who lives in Bali.

The ABC has been told none of the three men was interviewed by the fraud squad after it received the NAB's complaint.

The NAB employee - a senior executive - was a witness for the bank in a failed $70 million lawsuit brought against the NAB by Mr Smith in 2012.

The employee alleges Crook lured him to Batam Island in Indonesia on the promise of a high-paying job working for Mr Palmer.

Police say Mr Palmer had no knowledge of, or involvement in, the affair.

It is alleged Crook used his connection with Mr Palmer to give credibility to the ruse.

Using the alias Michael Wright, Featherstone allegedly played the role of a senior manager for Mr Palmer.

When this ploy failed to elicit an admission that the employee had lied in the court case, two men dressed in security uniforms are alleged to have removed the victim's wallet, passport and phone, strip-searched him and detained him until he provided the desired statement.

Taskforce Maxima refers matter to CCC

The CCC and Taskforce Maxima have been jointly investigating Featherstone and his company Phoenix Global for more than a year, focusing on his involvement in cold-call investment schemes alleged to be scams.

Evidence seized on the Gold Coast from Featherstone in the past 12 months is understood to include a recording made on January 26, 2013 of the NAB employee recanting evidence he had previously given in the Supreme Court in Brisbane.

In September the ABC revealed Featherstone's involvement in online gambling syndicates alleged to have defrauded people across Australia of millions of dollars.

The 7.30 program detailed his role setting up and running alleged scam companies, including recruiting patsy directors who took their instructions from him or employees of Phoenix Global.

The program revealed that Ken Gamble, a private investigator working for victims of the alleged scams, had provided a detailed brief of evidence to the Queensland Police fraud squad naming Featherstone in 2012, but the unit had not followed up.

Police sources said the ABC's report had prompted the NAB to again push for a full investigation of the alleged Batam Island incident.

After discovering the NAB allegations had not been acted upon, officers from Taskforce Maxima made a formal referral of the matter to the CCC.

The senior Queensland Police source told the ABC that there was nervousness inside the fraud squad about the CCC probe into its handling of the NAB complaint.

"Some of them are really shitting themselves," the source said.

Police confirm review into handling of case

In a statement to the ABC, the CCC said it "neither confirms nor denies whether it is assessing or investigating any potential matter".

The Queensland Police Service confirmed to the ABC that it had launched a review into the handling of the case.

But it said it was unable to comment further as arrests had been made and the matter was before the courts.

It declined to comment on any CCC involvement.

Featherstone and Crook are due back in court on January 27.