Jail for childcare fraudster

On Tuesday 9 December 2025, at the Melbourne County Court, Nuer Deng was sentenced to three years imprisonment and ordered to pay reparation of more than $1,700,000 to the Department of Education.

Judge English found that Ms Deng had owned and operated an approved Family Day Care service between 2013 and 2016 and that during that time she had claimed Commonwealth government child care payments to which she was not entitled. Ms Deng was sentenced as follows:

5 x Dishonestly cause a loss, contrary to section 135.1(5) of the Criminal Code (Cth)

• Charges 1 and 2: falsely claiming to be enrolled in a study course to claim Jobs, Education and Training Child Care Fee Assistance (JETCCFA) payments. Charge 2 was committed jointly. Convicted and sentenced to 6 months imprisonment.
• Charge 3: falsely claiming for child care sessions which did not take place (educators not in Australia). Convicted and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment to commence 6 months prior to the expiration of the sentence on Charge 5.
• Charge 4: falsely claiming for child care sessions which did not take place (child in care elsewhere). Convicted and sentenced to 6 months imprisonment.
• Charge 5: charging inflated child care fees where the parent was eligible for JETCCFA. Convicted and sentenced to 24 months imprisonment.
• Charge 6: dishonestly obtaining Grandparent Child Care Benefit. Convicted and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment to commence 6 months prior to the expiration of the sentence on Charge 3.

1 x Bribery of a Commonwealth Public Official, contrary to sub- section 141.1(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth)

• Charge 1: dishonestly offering to pay money to a Centrelink Services Officer with the intention of influencing her in the exercise of her duties as a Commonwealth public official. Convicted and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.

Total Effective Sentence:

• 3 years imprisonment, released on a Recognisance Release Order after 18 months with recognisance fixed at $1,000 and to be of good behaviour for a period of 18 months. Reparation order in the sum of $1,702,189.69.

In sentencing, Judge English said:

“The nature and circumstances of the offences are such that your offending is very serious.”

“The seriousness of your offences is reflected in the maximum penalties, being five years’ imprisonment for Charges 1 to 6 and 10 years’ imprisonment for the bribery charge”

“As a fraud on government funds, your dishonesty broadly impacts taxpayers and the funds available for the provision of government services.”

“You have been exposed to personal trauma including exposure to war, displacement, bereavement, sexual assault and domestic violence.”

“You have rehabilitated by rebuilding your life as a disability worker contributing to the community and caring for five children including one who has autism.”

“You are the sole caregiver to your children. Your imprisonment would impose exceptional hardship on your children… I take into account family hardship and consider this as part of the general sentencing synthesis.”

“There has been a significant delay of nine years between the execution of the search warrants and your sentencing… The delay is significant and I give it mitigatory effect.”