Offenders list: Ipswich’s most vulnerable targeted in scams

A number of fraudsters and thieves have preyed on some of Ipswich’s most vulnerable residents such as the elderly and recent flood victims. Full report and list of offenders here.

Of the thousands of Ipswich residents charged with fraud and stealing crimes during the first few months of 2022 a select few allegedly preyed on the vulnerability of flood victims during their darkest days.

According to Queensland Police data, across the Ipswich region for the past 12 months, police responded to 790 alleged fraud crimes and 5,450 alleged stealing crimes.

While stealing and fraud crimes are similar in nature, fraud occurs when a person steals, gains benefit, or takes advantage of another by not telling the truth.

When the price of petrol rose in the wake of Russia’s war on Ukraine in March, a number of Ipswich residents were finding their cars drained of fuel.

The same month scammers began targeting flood victims and opportunistic looters raided businesses and homes sparking a state wide police operation.

Ipswich police. Picture: Patrick Woods.

So far this year, police responded to a higher volume of stealing and fraud crimes in March compared to any other month – 1,014 alleged thefts and 194 alleged frauds.

An Ipswich crime prevention police officer said when people went through a tough time financially or emotionally, it could lead to someone breaking the law and committing a crime.

“When fuel prices go up it can lead normally law-abiding citizens to carry out opportunistic crimes like theft because of financial hardships,” she said.

The spokeswoman said scammers were becoming savvier with new technology and creating believable circumstances to manipulate people into giving money or personal details — including a recent flood scam.

“Some (flood victims) received phone calls from scammers impersonating nbn asking for funds to expedite the restoration of their service,” she said.

Looking at a broader snapshot, over the past decade police laid 11,359 alleged fraud crimes and 64,673 thefts.

During that time frame, stealing offences slowly rose yearly until a steep drop in 2020 — down from 8,014 in 2019 to 4,994 the following year.

However, theft charges are slowly rising; in 2021 police laid 5,866 charges, while 2,583 have been laid during the first five months of 2022.

The Queensland Police statistics show suburbs with higher rates of theft crimes (see table below), tend to be in areas with major shopping hubs and service stations on main roads.

Here’s a list of offenders who recently faced Ipswich Court for stealing and fraud crimes:

FRAUD AND THEFT CASES:

Stefano Hamisi

An elderly woman was scammed out of $1,000,000 when she tried to make a settlement payment on a property, and the Ipswich man whose bank account the money just happened to land in, Stefano Hamisi, spent $134,310 of the money.

An Ipswich court heard Mr Hamisi was not responsible for the hacking of the woman’s email which lead to the fraud, or the initial theft of the money.

However Hamisi was caught on CCTV in Redbank Plains making a number of withdrawals in the four days after the money was transferred.

On April 29, the 24-year-old pleaded guilty to fraudulently and dishonestly obtaining more than $100,000, and was sentenced to serve six months imprisonment of a two-year jail term.

Jennifer Kay Long

Ex-aged care worker Jennifer Kay Long was jailed for three months as part of a two-and-a-half-year head sentence after fraudulently obtained $180,368 in Centrelink payments.

The court heard the 61-year-old did not declare her income and continued to collect carer payments.

In May 2022, Long pleaded guilty to two charges of fraudulently obtaining funds by deception for five-and-a-half years.

Mark Peter Culley

Acclaimed astrophotographer Mark Peter Culley defrauded the Professional Photographers’ Association of Queensland $23,000.

A court heard Culley had been the president of the organisation and that Culley had control of the association’s bank accounts and transferred the cash into his personal and business bank accounts.

Culley pleaded guilty to forgery and uttering related to bank statements, fraud, uttering a financial report, and was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for three years, and ordered to pay $23,180.63 in restitution.

Karlamia Moore and Jacob Neil Johnston

Part-time Ipswich residents Karlamia Moore and Jacob Neil Johnston fraudulently obtained $715,000 from banks while working with a “sophisticated criminal syndicate”.

A court heard the pair unlawfully obtained identification information for a number of people and applied for loans from eight banks where they successfully gained the $700,000, and attempted to obtain a further $99,000.

The Spring Mountain couple pleaded guilty to a number of crimes including, fraud greater than $100,000, money laundering, obtaining identification fraudulently, and other offences.

Johnston was sentenced to nine-and-a-half years’ imprisonment, with immediate parole eligibility, taking into account the 918 days he had already served.

Moore was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years and her parole eligibility was set at December 16, 2023.

Brianna Doyle

Ipswich woman Brianna Doyle pleaded guilty to 20 counts of fraud that she acquired during a 24-hour crime spree.

A court heard the 19-year-old mum used stolen bank cards from a house break-in during the $1430.76 spending spree.

The court heard Doyle was not involved in the break-in and had bought groceries, cigarettes and alcohol, with the money.

Doyle was sentenced to 12 months’ probation and ordered to repay $1430.76 to Suncorp Bank.

James Dodds

Ipswich man James Dodds was sentenced to two years imprisonment after pleading guilty to 15 counts of fraud, attempted fraud, stealing, and breaking into a home.

A court heard in June 2021, Dodd brazenly broke into a 95-year-old man’s house and stole his wallet, and months later targeted an 88-year-old woman in the same fashion.

The court heard Dodds routinely preyed on the elderly and had snatched a handbag from a 76 year old woman months after the break ins.

The 47-year-old spent 196 days in pre-sentence custody which was declared as time served.

He will be released on parole on July 22, 2022.

Amanda Bornen

Ipswich mum Amanda Bornen was sentenced to a supervised two-year probation order after racking up nearly 50 charges, including stealing and fraud.

A court heard the 33-year-old former Coffee Club manager had committed a number of fuel drive-offs on a 1000km journey from the state’s tropical north.

Prosecutor Sergeant Nicholas Turnbull said Bornen was a recidivist offender and her petrol drive-offs and online fraud crimes were premeditated.

Bornen pleaded guilty to 47 charges which included; 21 counts of stealing, breaking into Christ Housing Services to steal, five counts of fraud, and drug possession.

Max Peter Nation

A court heard Ipswich man and repeat offender Max Peter Nation was addicted to the adrenaline rush of stealing.

The 29-year-old was in court for stealing $300 from the register of Just Cuts at the Riverlink shopping centre.

On April 26, Nation pleaded guilty to three charges including entering a premises and committing an indictable offence and possessing used utensils or pipes.

Nation was sentenced to an 18-month period of probation for the enter premises offence, and 12 months’ imprisonment for the drug charges, which was wholly suspended for 14 months.

Ethan Thomsen

Ipswich teen Ethan Thomsen fronted court for a year-long crime spree, which included using his grandad’s bank card to book a hotel room.

A court also heard the 19-year-old was staying with a relative to get back on his feet when he decided to steal their housemate’s car.

Thomsen pleaded guilty to fraud, stealing a car, drug possession, and assaulting a hospitality worker over a free pizza.

After Thomsen spent 105 day in pre-sentence custody, he was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment with immediate parole.