Central Coast fraud: woman charged over autism charity rip off
A 21-year-old bookkeeper has been charged after allegedly defrauding more than $300,000 from a Central Coast autism charity.
A bookkeeper has been charged after allegedly defrauding more than $300,000 from an autism charity.
Marissa Esposito, of North Gosford, was charged with two counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception last night after allegedly siphoning funds from Autism Central Coast.
It comes after Autism Central Coast successfully applied to have the 21-year-old bookkeeper’s assets frozen in the Supreme Court yesterday.
In documents tendered to the Supreme Court, the charity alleges Ms Esposito stole $327,330.41 while employed at Autism Central Coast by allegedly funnelling money that should have been going to pay staff superannuation, insurance and other payments into personal accounts.
Autism Central Coast CEO Rosa Trigg said the charity only became aware of the alleged fraud when Ms Esposito went on maternity leave in June last year and the organisation underwent a full financial audit in January.
Ms Trigg said the audit was done when the charity sought “benevolent society” status and allegedly discovered financial irregularities.
She said the charity had no idea about the missing money because Ms Esposito labelled the transactions as “wages” or “staff super” which led her to believe the transactions were legitimate but it’s claimed they were being siphoned into other accounts.
A Supreme Court Judge yesterday ordered Ms Esposito’s assets be frozen up to the unencumbered value of $310,830.41 but ruled the young mum could pay reasonable legal fees and living expenses.
“This order does not prohibit you from paying your reasonable living expenses in a sum not exceeding $800.00 per week, or such other sum as may be allowed by the court or agreed to in writing by the plaintiff,” Justice Geoff Lindsay said.
Autism Central Coast called a crisis meeting with its 18 staff yesterday, mostly part time support workers, to inform them of the alleged fraud and the fact none of their superannuation had been paid between August 2017 and June 2018.
The Tuggerah-based charity was founded by Ms Trigg in 2015 and became an accredited NDIS provider in January 2017.
The charity provides programs for children and adults on the autism spectrum, respite for families, finds employment, advocacy and covers living expenses such as phone bills or rent assistance.
It also leases four independent living homes on the Central Coast for people with autism.
Ms Trigg said they would have to terminate at least two of those leases and have those clients move into group home facilities because “we can’t afford it”.
She said at best many of the programs would be cut but at worst “this could sink us”.
“I might have to sell my house because I have to pay my staff their super,” she said.
“It’s devastating.”
Ms Trigg said she felt “betrayed” because she had known 21-year-old Ms Esposito since she was a young girl and considered her “like a daughter”.
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Ms Trigg showed the Express Advocate messages on her phone from Ms Esposito where the bookkeeper said she was “sorry” and “heart broken” about what happened and begged Ms Trigg for some way she could repay her.
“But she says she doesn’t have any money,” Ms Trigg said.
When approached by the Express Advocate, Ms Esposito denied taking any money from Autism Central Coast before terminating the conversation.
Following the Supreme Court orders yesterday, Tuggerah Lakes detectives arrested Ms Esposito at her North Gosford home and later charged her with two counts of fraud.
She will appear at Wyong Local Court at a future date.
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