Shaka Karkoun: Blacktown man sentenced after scam money found in his account

A man initially claimed he knew nothing of the $100k cash in his bank account. But he came unstuck after providing police his mobile number.

A Blacktown man has been ordered to pay back more than $100,000 after the cash was deposited into his account following a phishing attack on a company.

Companies ER and Associates PTY Limited (ERA) and Kelly OCG Australia were victims of an email phishing attack between December 2019 and January 2020.

Kelly OCG was tricked into changing payments to ERA personnel to two different bank accounts, one being Shaka Karkoun’s Commonwealth Bank ‘Youth Saver’ account.

The 21-year-old faced Blacktown Court this week.

Shaka Karkoun withdrew from his CBA accounts with cardless cash code’s. Picture NCA Emma Brasier.

From December 23, 2019 to January 6, 2020, Karkoun received six payments into his CBA account from KellyOCG Australia totalling $108,177.90.

An investigation into the scam by police showed the proceeds were then withdrawn at ATMs and multiple currency exchange businesses across NSW and Victoria.

Police obtained the internet records connected to his mobile number.

Analysis revealed he had been at the location of the ATMs when the withdrawals were made.

Consequently Karkoun attended Blacktown Police station where he was interviewed by police.

He initially denied any involvement and denied any knowledge of the large amounts of money entering and leaving his account.

But further investigations uncovered that the unique cardless cash code linked to the cardless transactions on January 7, 9 and 10, 2020 were sent to Karkoun’s phone.

This code allows the mobile phone user to access funds from an ATM without a bank card.

As a result Karkoun was arrested on June 7, 2020 at his home in Blacktown where he refused to participate in an interview.

In Blacktown Court on Tuesday Magistrate Cate Follent found Karkoun guilty of recklessly dealing with proceeds of crime over $5000 and he was ordered to pay compensation of $100,000 to Kelly OCG Australia.