Inside the astonishing high-roller life of the alleged mastermind of $70m fake fortune teller plot – and how she ‘blew close to $1m in stolen cash at casinos’
A self-described fortune teller and feng shui master accused of running a $70million fraud scheme with her daughter allegedly blew $880,193.37 of stolen funds at two major Sydney casinos.
Anya Phan, 53, and her daughter Thi Ta, 25, were arrested just after 6am at their $14million Dover Heights mansion on Wednesday for their alleged roles in one of the most elaborate financial crime syndicates the country has ever seen.
Phan was charged with 37 offences which largely related to allegedly coaxing vulnerable Vietnamese clients into taking out enormous business and home loans with the National Australia Bank, and taking a portion of the funds.
Between January 2024 and September 2025, Phan allegedly convinced a number of people in her community that she was a psychic, and promised that a ‘billionaire’ was in their future.
According to court documents seen by the Daily Mail, Phan allegedly convinced one syndicate recruit to take out a $3.7million loan for a Rose Bay unit.
Another was allegedly charged with the task of applying for a $1.3million business loan and a $5.5million home loan for a Bellevue Hill unit.
Phan also allegedly received a number of transfers into her own bank account in large sums of $112,597, $25,780, $50,000, and $18,000, along with a further $241,940 that was deposited into her account in eight transfers.
The court documents also detailed enormous withdrawals at Sydney’s Crown Casino and The Star.
Thi Ta, 25, was arrested alongside her mother at the Dover Heights home
Anya Phan (pictured) is accused of running a sophisticated financial scheme
The pair were arrested at a $12.9million Dover Heights property on Wednesday (pictured)
Between July 2024 and September 2025, Phan allegedly withdrew $843,163.85 from her ANZ account to gamble at The Star casino.
She allegedly withdrew a further $37,029.52 from the same account between January and October 2025 to gamble at Sydney’s Crown Casino.
Phan is further accused of using the instant messaging and payment app WeChat to send a NSW driver’s licence, an Australian passport and Medicare card in her daughter’s name to two of her ‘clients’ with the intention to commit fraud.
During a search of her mansion on Wednesday, detectives allegedly seized financial documents, mobile phones, electronics, luxury handbags, a 40-gram gold bar worth about $10,000, and $6,600 in casino chips.
The arrests follow an extensive investigation started in January 2024 into a syndicate allegedly using stolen identities to obtain financing for luxury ‘ghost cars’ that did not exist.
Police alleged this spread to large-scale loan fraud across multiple financial institutions.
The so-called ‘Penthouse Syndicate’ is alleged to have defrauded the National Australia Bank of more than $150million over two years, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Both women have been charged over their alleged roles in a fraud worth about $70million
The arrests follow an extensive investigation launched in January 2024 into the syndicate. Thi Ta, 25, is pictured during her arrest on Wednesday
It is alleged the syndicate used the money to develop a property portfolio across the city, aided by corrupt bank employees.
Up to $250million was involved across major banks and financiers over a period of seven years, police allege.
NAB senior business banking manager Timotius Donny Sungkar, 36, was arrested and charged last week after allegedly facilitating about $10million in fraudulent loans for the syndicate.
Police allege Sungkar was paid $17,000 to approve the loans, which were applied for with documents linked to shell companies purchased by the syndicate. He remains in custody facing 19 charges.
Chris Sheehan, NAB executive group investigations, said customers were not impacted by the alleged incident, adding the bank had worked in partnership with police.
‘There has been no customer impact or financial losses by customers as a result of this matter.
‘We are unable to comment further while this investigation is ongoing and before the court.’
The Penthouse Syndicate allegedly purchased dozens of Sydney properties using mules.
The investigation was at first looking into allegedly fraudulent car loans. Pictured: Anya Phan being arrested on Wednesday
NAB senior business banking manager Timotius Donny Sungkar, 36, was arrested and charged last week after allegedly facilitating about $10m in fraudulent loans for the syndicate
Phan is alleged to have recruited some of the mules used in the loans.
Bing ‘Michael’ Li, 38, was arrested in July at an $18million penthouse in the Crown residential tower at Barangaroo, from where he allegedly directed the syndicate.
Seventeen people have previously been charged under Strike Force Myddleton, with $60million in assets restrained by the NSW Crime Commission.
The latest arrests brought the total value of seized assets to $75million after an additional $15million was frozen this week.
Financial Crimes Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Gordon Arbinja said the case had allegedly revealed one of the most complex operations he had seen in his career.
‘What began as an investigation into fraudulent car financing has expanded,’ he said.
He said his team had ‘worked tirelessly’ on the investigation and that not only financial institutions were allegedly involved, but also vulnerable people.
About $6600 in casino chips, luxury handbags and financial documents were also seized
Detectives allegedly seized a gold bar worth an estimated $10,000 during the early-morning raid
NSW Crime Commission Executive Director Darren Bennett said asset recovery was a key focus of the agency.
‘Recovering assets is not just about punishment – it’s about restoring confidence and returning value to the people of NSW,’ he said.
‘Every dollar we recover … can instead be redirected to benefit the community.’
Phan faces 39 charges, including knowingly directing the activities of a criminal group, 19 counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and 13 counts of knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime.
She was refused bail to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday, where she did not apply for bail and the matter was adjourned until January 15, 2026.
Ta, her daughter, faces several charges including two counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime valued at more than $5,000.
She was granted conditional bail to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on January 23.
