Thi Ta was arrested by Strike Force Middleton officers at Dover Heights. Photo / Instagram
Fresh details have emerged about a “high-roller” mother and daughter, charged over their alleged roles in a A$70 million ($81.2m) fraud syndicate, after a dramatic police raid in their multimillion-dollar Sydney home.
Heavily armed tactical officers swarmed the A$13.8m ($16m) Dover Heights mansion on Wednesday.
Anya Phan, 53 and her 25-year-old daughter Thi Ta were arrested at the scene, after officers scaled a neighbouring fence to reach the house.
Items seized from the property include gold bars and casino chips, while social media photos show Thi travelled in Asia with her partner.
Police allege Phan – claiming to be a feng-shui master and fortune teller – exploited vulnerable clients within the Vietnamese community by persuading them to take out loans based on her prediction that there was a “billionaire” in their future.
It is alleged that all the while, the woman was taking a share of the loans for herself.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Detective Superintendent Gordon Arbinja said the woman would pocket “at least A$150,000 ($174,000) herself”.
“In total, she (pocketed) at least A$1.5 million ($1.74m) from at least 10 loans that she facilitated by taking advantage of these vulnerable people,” he said.
He also accused the woman of convincing her daughter to “purchase a A$5.3m ($6.14m) unit in Rose Bay”.
Business records reported by the Daily Mail show a company run by Phan had a registered address in a single-storey property in Lewisham in May this year, and purchased the Dover Heights property in June, boasting four bedrooms, an indoor cinema, gym, steam room and swimming pool.
Arbinja said the older woman was “trusted in the community”.
“She arrived in Australia in 2001 and soon after become an Australian citizen,” he told reporters.
“She has not worked during this time and has been receiving disability support payments.”
He said, despite living on a disability support, the Dover Heights home where she lived required repayments of A$56,000 ($65,000) a month.
“(The woman) was a VIP customer at a Sydney-based casino,” he said.
“We (allege) that she has at least laundered over A$520,000 ($603,000) in a two-month period alone at this Sydney-based casino.
“She’s a high roller and very influential amongst her community.”
Phan has been charged with 39 offences, including knowingly direct activities of criminal group, dishonestly obtain financial advantage etc by deception, knowingly deal with proceeds of crime intent to conceal, deal with identity info to commit etc indictable offence, and attempt to dishonestly obtain financial advantage etc by deception.
She was refused bail and is due to face Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday.
Her daughter was charged with two counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage etc by deception, two counts of deal with identity info to commit etc indictable offence, recklessly deal proceeds general crime intend to conceal, recklessly deal with proceeds of crime >$5000 and participate criminal group contribute criminal activity.
She was granted conditional bail and will appear at Downing Centre Local Court on January 23, 2026.
The arrests were carried out by detectives from Strike Force Myddleton, which was established early last year to investigate a syndicate allegedly using stolen identities to secure loans for “ghost cars” – luxury vehicles that don’t exist.
Since its inception, the investigation has expanded to include allegations of large-scale personal, business, and home loan fraud, with 17 people already charged.
The NSW Crime Commission previously restrained A$60m ($69.6m) in assets.
Police say a further A$15m ($17.4m) in assets has since been frozen, bringing the total amount linked to the syndicate to A$75m ($85.8m).
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