Child Protection worker Mohammad Aref Ghaffari fined, given suspended jail term, for dodgy second-hand car sales

This Child Protection worker sought leniency over his dodgy used car side-hustle – but a court says nothing can excuse his greedy, deceitful actions.

Child Protection worker Mohammad Aref Ghaffari admitted ripping off consumers through dodgy second-hand car sales, but insisted there was more to his crimes than guilt.

Wiping 400,000km off the odometers of two cars, doctoring their log books and netting a $26,000 profit was, he said, the result of his lifelong battle with “impulsivity”.

On Thursday, the Adelaide Magistrates Court rejected that claim, fined Ghaffari $4200 and ordered he serve a two-year, 24-day prison term for his crimes.

Auxiliary Magistrate Clive Kitchen opted to suspend that sentence, however – even though he did not agree with Ghaffari’s self-assessment of his offending.

Mohammad Aref Ghaffari outside court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt

“It’s difficult to see that your offending was anything other than premeditated and, to some extent, sophisticated,” he said.

“The effort that you went to, to create the false log books, (involved) a significant amount of thought to create entries that would be difficult to check.

“I have difficulty in accepting your impulsivity played any significant role in your offending.

“It appears to me to be nothing other than a well thought-out plan to deceive others for your financial gain.”

Ghaffari, 34, now of Queensland, pleaded guilty to two counts of interfering with a second-hand vehicle’s odometer and two counts of dishonest dealing with documents.

He turned a 2005 Sportivo, worth $1000 with 270,662km on the clock, into a $6000 sale with only 121,906 on its odometer.

Ghaffari also transformed a 2008 Prado, worth $4250, that had done 387,350km into a $25,000 four-wheel-drive with just 166,503km on the clock.

The Toyota Prado that was purchased, then had its odometer wound back and was on-sold, by Mohammad Aref Ghaffari. Source:, Attorney-General's Department

Last week he pleaded for mercy, saying a conviction would ruin his chances of returning to the child protection industry.

On Thursday, Mr Kitchen said Ghaffari’s offending was too serious to spare him a conviction.

“Just because a motor vehicle is second-hand (does not mean) significant money has not been spent,” he said.

“Interfering with odometers also causes risks in terms of vehicles.

“It makes obvious sense to suggest (a car with a reading that is) thousands of kilometres greater than for which it was purchased is at greater risk of having or developing mechanical failure.”

The Toyota Sportiva sold, by Mohammad Aref Ghaffari, for $6000 after he wiped more than 121,000km off his odometer reading. Picture: Attorney-General's Department.

He recorded convictions and suspended Ghaffari’s sentence on condition of a 12-month good behaviour bond.

Outside court, Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs Andrea Michaels said the case highlighted the dangers of buying used cars through social media.

“While social media sites can be a great way to find a bargain, they are also rife with scammers looking to make a quick buck from people eager to save some money,” she said.

“This individual took advantage of unsuspecting consumers by lying about the state of the cars he was selling and even falsified a logbook to try and make himself seem more legitimate and justify his inflated price for the car.

“It’s unacceptable behaviour that would have likely gone undetected if it weren’t for action taken by Consumer and Business Services.

“I thank the staff of CBS and the Crown Solicitor’s Office for their diligence in pursuing this matter through the courts.”