On 1 September 2018, amendments to the Criminal Property Confiscation Act 2000 (CPC Act) and the Corruption, Crime and Misconduct Act 2003 (CCM Act) conferred on the CCC a new unexplained wealth function. The new function enables the CCC to investigate unexplained wealth and criminal benefits, and to initiate and conduct civil confiscation proceedings in the Supreme or District courts.

The CCC can receive reports and investigate persons who have accumulated unexplained wealth. Unexplained wealth law requires a person who lives beyond their apparent means to justify the legitimacy of their financial circumstances. Find out more in the information below.

The CCC has a guideline for the public, The Corruption and Crime Commission's functions under the Criminal Property Confiscation Act 2000 – Guidelines for the public which applies when the CCC exercises its unexplained wealth functions under the CCM Act s 21AD and the CPC Act.  

What is unexplained wealth?

A person has unexplained wealth if the value of their wealth is greater than the value of their lawfully acquired wealth. Unexplained wealth law requires a person who lives beyond their apparent means to justify the legitimacy of their financial circumstances.

A person may accumulate unexplained wealth through several unlawful means such as:

• corruption
• bribery, collusion or kickbacks
• money laundering
• theft or fraud
• blackmail or extortion
• tax evasion; or
• dealing or trafficking in illegal material such as illicit drugs or substances.

The CCC's functions in unexplained wealth are to make Western Australia a safer State by disrupting organised crime by taking away the benefits of illegal activity.

The CCC does this through:

• identifying persons who have accumulated unexplained wealth through unlawful means;
• deterring crime, particularly organised crime; and
• reducing the profitability of illegal activities through investigating unexplained wealth and criminal benefits.

The CCC has the power to investigate and initiate confiscation proceedings in relation to unexplained wealth to disrupt crime in Western Australia.

Indicators of Unexplained Wealth

A number of different factors may indicate a person has unexplained wealth. Some common characteristics include:

• the accumulation of assets not proportionate with the person's lawfully acquired income;
• frequent purchases of luxury goods or services, including travel, without the apparent lawful means to support those purchases;
• regularly performing large financial transactions in cash, including deposits or withdrawals to or from bank accounts; and
• storing large amounts of cash at a residential address.

If you suspect a person is currently engaging in any criminal activity, please contact the WA Police Force (131 444 when Police attendance is required, or Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 to report crime anonymously).