A school principal is one of two men accused of masterminding an elaborate scheme that stole up to $1.4million from the NSW Department of Education.
Rabieh Gharibeh, 37, and his brother-in-law Ahmed Charchouh, 38, were arrested during dramatic raids in western Sydney on Wednesday morning.
Police will allege Gharibeh, the principal of Sir Joseph Banks High School, and Charcoah, the director of a building company, mismanaged funds intended for maintenance and building works between 2022 and 2024.
The pair are accused of stealing $1.4million from the Department of Education through 86 fraudulent invoices at two schools in Sydney’s west.
Gharibeh was the principal of Granville South Creative and Performing Arts High School in Guildford until the end of 2022 before he transferred to Sir Joseph Banks High School in Revesby the following year.
NSW Police will allege Charchouh helped ‘facilitate the fraudulent claims’ at schools where Gharibeh was employed as principal.
Investigators under Strike Force Heidi executed three search warrants in Georges Hall, Yagoona and Revesby, in Sydney’s west, early on Wednesday morning.
Police allegedly seized electronic items, $42,000 in cash, luxury watches and a ballistics vest.
Sir Joseph Banks High School principal Rabieh Gharibeh (pictured) who was arrested over his alleged role in a $1.4million fraud scheme targeting the NSW Department of Education
