insider info on australian of the year

In January 2024, the Australian Federal Police laid criminal charges against a Sydney man for allegedly using inside information to place bets on the outcome of the Australian of the Year Awards. The prosecution formed part of a broader investigation known as Operation Maridun, which examined illicit betting activity based on confidential information about award outcomes.

The case highlights the application of insider information offences beyond traditional financial markets. It confirms that Australian criminal law extends to event outcome betting where non public information is misused for financial gain, even where the event is cultural rather than commercial in nature.

Background to Operation Maridun

Operation Maridun commenced in February 2021 after concerns were raised about unusual betting activity linked to the 2021 Australian of the Year Awards. The National Australia Day Council identified a significant movement in betting towards the eventual winner before the public announcement. These concerns were referred to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.

The ACIC prepared an intelligence report and referred the matter to the Australian Federal Police. Based on that referral, the AFP initiated a multi agency investigation supported by financial intelligence, including data provided through AUSTRAC. The investigation focused on whether confidential information about award outcomes had been accessed, disclosed or used for betting purposes.

Over time, investigators identified betting patterns suggesting that individuals may have acted on privileged knowledge obtained before the winners were publicly announced. Operation Maridun expanded to examine conduct spanning several years and multiple award cycles.

Charges Against the Sydney Defendant

On 15 January 2024, the AFP publicly announced that a man from Collaroy on Sydney’s Northern Beaches had been charged in connection with the investigation. The defendant was charged with six counts of using inside information for betting purposes, contrary to section 193Q of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW).

According to the AFP, the defendant placed a series of bets between 2017 and 2021 on five separate Australian of the Year Awards. The bets were allegedly based on information provided by a Commonwealth employee who had early access to the identity of award recipients.

The AFP alleged that the defendant placed approximately $1,767 in bets and received winnings totalling $7,542. Section 193Q carries a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment.

Following the laying of charges, the matter was listed before the Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney. The defendant’s case was later referred to the New South Wales Mental Health Review Tribunal for assessment. At the time of the AFP’s last public update, the investigation under Operation Maridun remained ongoing.

Related Convictions in Victoria

Operation Maridun also resulted in criminal proceedings in Victoria arising from the same investigation. In September 2024, two Victorian men were sentenced in the Dandenong Magistrates Court for offences connected to betting on Australian of the Year Awards using inside information.

In those matters, one individual used multiple online betting accounts to place bets on award outcomes. Investigators identified 48 bets totalling $2,469 placed across five betting accounts. The bets were made at a time when information about the award winners was not publicly available.

The AFP alleged that the Mornington based offender was employed by a Commonwealth government owned corporation and obtained early knowledge of award winners for the 2017, 2018 and 2019 awards. He passed that information to an associate, who then placed the bets and ultimately obtained winnings of approximately $9,363.

On 1 August 2024, the Mornington man pleaded guilty to one count of abuse of public office under the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth). His associate pleaded guilty to aiding, abetting or procuring that offence. On 19 September 2024, the Court recorded convictions, imposed fines of $4,000 on each defendant and ordered the payment of court costs.

The maximum penalty for the relevant Commonwealth offences is five years imprisonment.

Legal and Institutional Framework

Where inside information originates from a Commonwealth employee’s position of trust, additional offences may arise under federal law. In the Victorian cases, the misuse of information obtained through public employment formed the basis for abuse of public office charges.

Operation Maridun demonstrates how multiple agencies operate together in this regulatory space. Intelligence from the ACIC, financial analysis supported by AUSTRAC and investigative powers exercised by the AFP combined to detect and prosecute conduct that may not have been visible through traditional criminal reporting mechanisms.

Significance and Implications

The proceedings arising from Operation Maridun carry several important implications.

First, the case confirms that betting markets are subject to criminal law protections where integrity is compromised. Insider betting offences are not confined to securities or financial instruments and can apply to cultural, sporting or public interest events.

Second, the investigation highlights the risks associated with unauthorised disclosure of confidential information by public sector employees. Access to non public outcomes, even for administrative or logistical purposes, creates compliance and governance vulnerabilities if not properly controlled.

Third, the case illustrates the growing sophistication of cross agency monitoring of betting activity. Suspicious betting patterns may be detected and analysed years before charges are laid, expanding the compliance risk horizon for individuals and institutions alike.

Finally, the case reinforces that reputational and legal consequences may follow even where the financial amounts involved are relatively modest.

Conclusion

Operation Maridun represents a significant development in the enforcement of betting integrity in Australia. The prosecution of the Sydney defendant and the earlier Victorian convictions demonstrate that misuse of inside information, even in the context of awards betting, can attract serious criminal liability.

For organisations entrusted with confidential information, the case underscores the importance of robust information access controls and employee awareness. For regulators and law enforcement, it confirms that event outcome betting is not beyond the reach of criminal law where betting markets extend far beyond traditional sports and finance.