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AN Albury family day care business operator charged with a fraud involving more than $4 million is facing the likelihood of more charges being laid against her by federal police. Melissa Jade Higgins appeared in Albury Local Court yesterday on two charges of obtaining property by deception and dishonestly intending to obtain a gain. But police prosecutor Sgt Shannon Lewis represented the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions and said about 50 other charges were pending. Higgins, 27, of Curlew Court, was arrested on March 30 after a joint operation by Australian Federal Police, the Commonwealth Department of Human Services and Department of Social Services. A bank account belonging to Higgins was frozen and $2,250,000 was seized along with other property. “If there are fresh charges to be laid, they should be done as a matter of urgency,” magistrate Tony Murray said when adjourning the case until July 13. Mr Murray was told the federal police began an investigation into Higgins in February regarding benefits paid to her by the Commonwealth Department of Human Services. She is the sole director of a family day care business trading as Aussie Giggles Pty Ltd. It is alleged since December 3, 2013, she had claimed special child care benefit subsidies that she was not entitled to receive. The total benefit received by her exceeds $4 million after claims were lodged with the Department of Human Services. Tendered police facts outlined how Higgins, in order to justify the claims, had created and lodged false Victorian state government Department of Human Services documents. The false claims were creating by manipulating genuine Victorian DHS documents. She appears to have falsified child attendance timesheet records to support claims for childcare, which was not provided. The documents were submitted to the Commonwealth Department of Education, but the special benefit is now administered by the Department of Social Services. Higgins transferred $2.24 million of the proceeds from Aussie Giggles Pty Ltd to her personal account held by MJH Real Estate. She is the sole director and secretary of the real estate business. Higgins was represented by Albury solicitor Tim Hemsley, acting as an agent in the matter for a Canberra law firm. Mr Hemsley made an application seeking to have Higgins reporting to police once weekly each Wednesday rather than twice a week at present on Monday and Thursday. Sgt Lewis said the Commonwealth DPP did not oppose the change. But Mr Murray said: “This is a $4 million fraud.” “Alleged $4 million fraud,” Mr Hemsley said. Mr Murray said in his view the present bail conditions were incredibly lenient with no surety. The application to have the reporting conditions changed was withdrawn by Mr Hemsley.

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