Four people with alleged links to organised crime groups have been charged with defrauding the National Disability Insurance Scheme of more than $2 million.

Australian Federal Police officers arrested the four, who they say are connected to Middle Eastern crime gangs, across separate locations in western Sydney on Wednesday as part of Operation Pyxis.

The raids followed an investigation by the NDIS Fraud Taskforce into two women, aged 37 and 32, and a 27-year-old man who allegedly posed as disability service providers.

They were charged for wrongfully claiming money from NDIS participants for services that were never delivered. They appeared at Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday.

A fourth person, a 62-year-old man, was charged on Wednesday with dealing in the proceeds of crime and will face Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday.

Those arrested are also alleged to have threatened violence towards participants and witnesses.

Assistant Commissioner Nigel Ryan said the AFP would continue to pursue groups “who chop and change companies in a pointless effort to hide their criminal behaviour”.

“Members of our community have allegedly been targeted, exploited and threatened by groups looking to fill their own pockets and steal public funds that have been set aside for Australians who need that support,” he said.

In April, a National Disability Insurance Agency investigation led to AFP officers apprehending a woman at Sydney Airport as she re-entered the country.

She has been charged with defrauding the NDIS of more than $1 million and will face court in July.

– AAP

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