[17][18] On 17 November 2021, Thomson was arrested and charged over allegations he facilitated more than 130 fraudulent visa applications over four years, resulting in more than $2 million of financial gains.
[19][20] On 22 March 2022, Thomson was arrested at Wamberal for allegedly breaching an AVO, hours after he had already pleaded guilty to several domestic violence-related charges involving his ex-wife at the Gosford Local Court.
[21] On 23 March 2022, Thomson again appeared before the Court to face 4 new fraud charges in relation to his alleged use of falsified documents to apply for COVID-19 support payments.
[24] Thomson started his career representing hospital and ambulance workers in New South Wales as an industrial officer for the Health and Research Employee Association (HREA).
Succeeding Thomson as general secretary of the HSU in January 2008, Kathy Jackson identified financial irregularities in the union's accounts and engaged external auditors to investigate.
"[3] In December, the union engaged tax specialists BDO Kendall to "conduct an investigation" over the alleged improper use of Thomson's union-issued corporate credit card.
The Sydney Morning Herald revealed the allegations in April 2009; Thomson denied all wrongdoing and stated that an independent audit had not identified any inappropriate use of the card, noted that other people would have been able to incur charges on the account, and said the accusations had been fabricated by rivals within the HSU.
[27] Fair Work Australia, the federal workplace relations tribunal, conducted a three-year investigation into improprieties in the use of union funds which was tabled in the Senate on 7 May 2012.
[31] On 24 October 2012 members of the NSW Police conducted a search of Thomson's residence and electorate office on the Central Coast.
In December 2011, The Sydney Morning Herald alleged that Thomson had plagiarised internet sources, including Wikipedia, when tabling a report to parliament after an overseas trip.
In April 2012, Thomson asked to be suspended from the Labor Party after a discussion with the then Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, and announced his intention to sit on the crossbench as an independent member of parliament.
[5] In a statement to the House on 21 May 2012, Thomson professed his innocence and used parliamentary privilege to name a number of individuals and claim that he was set up.
[17][18][49] On 17 November 2021, Thomson was alleged to have "facilitated more than 130 fraudulent visa applications over four years, resulting in more than $2 million of financial gains".
[19][20] Thomson has been married three times, first to Lynette Sharma, second to Christa, and then, on 21 January 2011, to Zoe Arnold, a radio newsreader and media advisor.