Ignnatius Chigaeme Onyenakasa, Alyce Leanne Margerison: Ipswich couple avoids jail after $240,000 scam

Almost $240,000 was deposited into bank accounts controlled by a disability worker and his stay-at-home-mum wife as part of a business scam. Here’s what they spent the money on.

Youth disability worker Ignnatius Chigaeme Onyenakasa, 35, and his wife Alyce Leanne Margerison, 36, enter the Ipswich Courthouse on November 21, 2022. Picture: Liam Beatty.

An Ipswich husband and wife duo has avoided jail over their role in a phishing scam which saw almost $240,000 dropped into their bank accounts.

Youth disability worker Ignnatius Chigaeme Onyenakasa, 35, and his wife Alyce Leanne Margerison, 36, faced the Ipswich District Court on Monday for sentencing.

The pair was charged with fraud and money laundering in 2020 after police began to investigate suspicious transactions dating back to 2018.

The court heard that although the pair were not alleged to be the organisers of the scam, they had benefited financially from their involvement.

The phishing scams operated by sending businesses what appeared to be legitimate invoices, however the money was deposited into bank accounts controlled by Onyenakasa and Margerison.

On charge one they together spent $13,704 in two days.

On charge two Onyenakasa spent $ 19,908.40 in eight days.

On charge three Margerison spent $75,940 over nine days.

Crown prosecutor Matt LeGrand said their involvement began in May 2018 when $36,690 was deposited into an account they controlled.

“There was an amount deposited into that account by persons unknown,” he said.

“How the bank card came into their possession is unknown.

“Both Mr Onyenakasa and Ms Margerison accessed the money over two days before the bank put a hold on that and the money was returned.”

In just two days the pair had managed to withdraw and spend $13,704 before the account was frozen.

In July 2018, $126,904.40 was deposited into Onyenakasa’s account, of which he was able to spend $19,980.40 before the account was frozen and almost $107,000 was recovered.

The court heard he had attempted to transfer $50,000 to an account in Norway but it was prevented by the bank.

In August the same year, $76,040 was deposited into Margerison’s account and she spent “almost the full amount” before the bank detected the suspicious activity.

In total the couple received $239,634.40 and withdrew or spent $109,624.40.

The court heard most of the transactions identified by police were spent on “household expenses” although cash withdrawals were unable to be traced and Margerison had converted about $25,000 into British pounds.

The court heard the pair had been married for five years and Margerison was a stay-at-home mum for their two young children while Onyenakasa was a disability support worker for children.

Despite Mr LeGrand arguing the pair should be made to severe some prison time as a “deterrent” to others, they were each sentenced to a two-year suspended term of imprisonment.

Handing down his judgment, Judge Dennis Lynch said he was persuaded by their personal circumstances and recognised the offending was “out-of-character”.

“This has, in effect, been hanging over your heads since 2020,” he said.

“Your remorse is evident and rehabilitation is well underway.”

Both Onyenakasa and Margerison were sentenced to a two-year term of imprisonment wholly suspended for three years.