Semana Elizabeth Reardon: Ballina mum scammed Cannonvale Centrelink out of thousands

A Ballina fraudster has been told jail is likely after a two-year con in which she pocketed thousands after lying about her parenting payment.

A Ballina serial fraudster who scammed Centrelink out of thousands of dollars could face jail, a Lismore magistrate has warned.

Semana Elizabeth Reardon, 34, was self-represented when she faced Lismore Local Court for sentencing in relation to receiving financial advantage from a Commonwealth entity on Monday.

The mother of one duped the Federal organisation out of $11,848.13 in overpayment as part of her single parenting payment between August 2017 and February 2019, according to court documents.

Reardon, who committed the crimes in Cannonvale Queensland, incorrectly and repeatedly provided false information to Centrelink about her part-time/ casual Woolworths Group Limited employment, court documents reveal.

As part of the parenting payment, Reardon was obligated to inform the organisation of the $41,821.83 she made working during that time.

However, of her 41 income reports, 13 declared no income and 28 reported her earning lower than it actually was, according to the court documents.

Reardon was eventually caught following a tip off in June 2019.

Magistrate Michael Dakin said Reardon’s criminality was “quite high” given the con’s almost two and a half year duration.

He also pointed to a former Queensland conviction for similar commonwealth fraud charges in which Reardon was sentenced to 18 months jail and released after five months on a Good Behaviour Bond.

“Your position is grave in terms of your liberty,” he said.

Given a new adjournment direction by the NSW Chief Magistrate on all appearances where a full-time custodial sentence is the likely outcome for a defendant who is in the community, Magistrate Dakin adjourned the matter for six weeks.

He further encouraged Reardon to seek legal advice prior to her return to court.