NSW Financial Crime Squad detectives arrested a high school principal and his brother-in-law, following raids in western Sydney. Police seized Rolex watches, cash and bullet proof vests and the two men have been charged with fraud and corruption offences.
Police allege Rabieh Gharibeh, the current principal of Sir Joseph Banks High School, and his building company director brother-in-law Ahmed Charchouch, 38, allegedly stole $1.4million from funds that had been allocated for school building upgrades through 86 separate invoices.
NSW Police said $900,000 of the money was allegedly kept by Gharibeh, with Charchouch pocketing the remaining $500,00.
It’s alleged that the offences were committed between August 2022 and November 2024 and affected two schools in Guildford and Revesby – where Gharibeh worked as principal at different times over the two-year period.
After police executed three separate search warrants across Sydney’s west this week, $42,400 cash was found, along with expensive Rolex watches and ballistics vests.
The first two addresses were the residential properties associated with the two men, while the third location was St Joseph Banks High School.
After being taken to Bankstown Police Station, the men were charged with more than 60 charges each.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Detective Superintendent Gordon Arbinja said the arrests were ordered “to prevent a further $165k worth of fraud that they were expecting as late as yesterday”.
Arbinja said “police expect to make more arrests soon.”
“We’re glad that it’s finally ended and we are going to do our best to recover some of the proceeds,” he said.
The arrests followed inquiries from Strike Force Heidi, which was established in 2024 by State Crime Command’s Financial Crime Squad, with assistance from the NSW Department of Education.
The strike force was set up to investigate allegations made against the principal earlier this year.
“The senior employee had financial delegation up to $150,000, police will allege that he abused that financial delegation and that position of financial trust,” Arbinja said.
Strike Force Heidi is continuing its investigation.
