Accused fraudster given nearly 140 charges over alleged identity thefts, fake documents

An alleged serial fraudster was handed almost 140 charges after he reportedly produced an “enormous” number of fraudulent documents and built up several different identities.

Ali Al Kinani was allegedly filmed stealing an EFTPOS machine from the Canberra Labor Club in Belconnen on 12 October 2023, which was recovered when police raided his home in Gungahlin seven days later, court documents say.

Between 16 and 18 October, it is alleged he used the machine to refund the club’s money to different bank cards. It is alleged he stole about $16,500 via 19 processed refunds while he tried another 36 times to refund $51,600 to the cards.

Some of the cards related to these alleged transactions were seized from his home during the raid.

It was further alleged that after obtaining the $16,500, Al Kinani moved the funds through multiple bank accounts in other people’s names before withdrawing it as cash or transferring it to another bank account in his name.

When police examined his phone, they allegedly found messages to his wife asking her to “clean the money”.

Meanwhile, police had seized card printers and a computer from his home, which appeared to show they had been used to print NSW drivers licences. Police believe they will be able to prove the devices were used to make false documents.

They allegedly found 67 drivers licences, 12 Medicare cards, 52 bank cards and 24 other identification cards in other people’s names. It is alleged some were genuine, others were not.

The 34-year-old was arrested on Monday (22 January) and handed 139 charges before he faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday (23 January) – while seated in a wheelchair with one leg in a cast – and applied for bail.

Prosecutor Colin Balog, who opposed bail, alleged Kinani had produced an “enormous” number of fraudulent documents to use to register himself for various services while police believed he had established five different identities.

The prosecutor said he had been assuming the identities of at least 12 people. He explained that some of these were real people, although it was not clear that they all were.

Mr Balog also alleged that as Al Kinani had established multiple fake identities and used a number of identity documents, police feared he would flee to Iraq, where he has had citizenship, if he were granted bail.

Al Kinani’s lawyer, Thomas Tiffen from Hugo Law Group, said his client had broken his foot when he fell down stairs while working as a painter about 10 days ago and would require surgeries for his injury.

He said his client had known police raided his home last October and hadn’t fled, nor had he committed any offences since then.

Mr Tiffen also said while the evidence was quite strong for some of the charges, that couldn’t be said for every charge.

Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker said the law required Al Kinani receive treatment for his broken foot if he was in custody. She thought it was a strong prosecution case for some, if not all, of the charges.

The magistrate said that given the “highly sophisticated and apparently brazen” allegations, it seemed the ability to address the concern of interfering with evidence was weak.

She refused bail. Al Kinani’s wife, who was present in the courtroom, tried to speak to him, then was seen tearing up.

Al Kinani’s charges include one count of theft, 19 counts of obtaining property by deception, 36 counts of attempting to obtain property by deception, two counts of possessing a device for making false documents, 78 counts of possessing false documents, two counts of using false documents and one count of money laundering.

He has not entered pleas. The matter will return to court on 15 February.