National Manager Stefan Jerga has been a member of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for nearly 20 years.
Stefan is the AFP’s National Manager (Assistant Commissioner level) for Criminal Assets Confiscation, having commenced in this role in 2020. Immediately prior to this, Stefan performed the role of AFP Chief Legal Counsel.
Stefan commenced practice as a lawyer in 1999, taking a graduate position with one of Australia’s leading international law firms, Minter Ellison. There he specialised in corporate and banking and finance law.
In 2003, Stefan joined the Australian Government Solicitor and in 2004 Stefan was seconded to AFP Legal, permanently joining the AFP that year.
In 2006, Stefan deployed to Vanuatu as the legal advisor to the AFP led Vanuatu Police Force Capacity Building Project, where amongst his achievements as the AFP’s mission legal advisor Stefan led the review and re-drafting of a new Vanuatu Police Act.
Prior to becoming General Counsel Criminal Assets Litigation in 2016, Stefan was a longstanding Deputy General Counsel in AFP Legal, principally responsible for capability projects and operational governance.
As National Manager Criminal Assets Confiscation, Stefan leads the Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce, Australia’s multi-agency asset targeting and confiscation capability at the Commonwealth level. In 2020, Stefan established and leads the AFP’s Cryptocurrencies Capability Team. Stefan also initiated and is Chair of Australia’s Proceeds of Crime Network, which brings together the leading asset confiscation prosecutors, police investigators and forensic accountants from across Australia, including its States and Territories. Finally, Stefan leads Australia’s delegations to various asset confiscation forums across the globe, including CARIN and ARIN-AP.