Matthew Michael Kenneth Wilson allegedly defrauded $18k in a Mooloolaba fish deal

A Maroochydore Magistrate was shocked by the amount of money alleged to have been defrauded in a bizarre fish tank deal.

A man has faced court over an alleged fish tank fraud after a would-be buyer was allegedly scammed out of an $18,000 deposit for the aquarium.

Kuluin man Matthew Michael Kenneth Wilson allegedly obtained an $18,000 deposit for a fish tank from a confident customer between March 23 and July 26 in Mooloolaba.

Solicitor Matt Cooper on Friday asked Magistrate Maxine Baldwin for the matters to be listed for a plea date in three weeks.

Mr Cooper said Mr Wilson had to gather some reference material before entering a plea.

The Maroochydore Magistrates Court erupted in laughter when Ms Baldwin joked about the matter’s strange nature.

“Wow, an $18,000 deposit on a fish tank, was it holding whales in it?” she joked.

She listed the matter for a lengthy plea on October 15.

Mr Wilson’s bail was enlarged.