Diane Evelyn Davis pleads guilty to 55 money laundering charges relating to cash from online romance scams

A woman engaging in multiple online romance scams took more than $500k – sometimes in person – but prosecutors accept she never actually benefited from the money.

Dianne Davis charged with money laundering, leaves the Magistrate court. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

A northern-suburbs woman has admitted laundering more than $500,000 from the victims of romance scams – but prosecutors have accepted she did not benefit a cent from the haul.

Dianne Evelyn Davis, 53, of Paralowie pleaded guilty last week to 55 counts of money laundering between March 2018 and July 2019.

Court documents show the total amount laundered across all the charges was $539,664 and varied from $700 to $50,000 in a single hit.

On Thursday, a prosecutor told Chief Magistrate Judge Mary-Louise Hribal that Davis had been a “money mule” for a larger syndicate targeting people online.

“There are eight victims to the offending conduct, which took the form of online romance scams,” he said.

“Essentially online profiles had instructed the victims to send money through for various reasons which end up in the hands of Davis.

“The prosecution do not allege that she participated in the scams but has taken the role of a money mule, or a cog in the machine.”

The money was initially received by electronic funds transfer and was later mailed to Davis.

The court heard that on two occasions on August 14 and 16, 2019, Davis had met one of the victims at Adelaide Airport and accepted the cash in person.

Dianne Davis has pleaded guilty to money laundering. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

Court documents show on those occasions Davis received $26,000 and $45,000 respectively.

The prosecutor said he had agreed to Davis’ charges being resolved in the Magistrates Court jurisdiction because of the “peculiar circumstances” of the case.

“While she has received benefit because it comes into her possession, she never realises that benefit because the money is sent on to individuals who were ultimately scamming the victims,” he said.

“So the money was significant, the criminal culpability it is somewhat lesser than the online perpetrator.”

No other people were arrested over the scams and the prosecutor said the end recipients of the cash had never been identified.

Judge Hribal heard that Davis had unusual personal circumstances that would be detailed during sentencing submissions when top barrister Marie Shaw KC would appear for the defence.

Davis will appear in court again in February next year.