`I’m horrified’ says bookkeeper who fleeced gym to fuel gambling habit

A BOOKKEEPER who ripped off a kids’ gymnastics centre more than half a million dollars to fuel her gambling addiction told a court she felt “physically sick” when she realised the magnitude of her fraud.

Jane Melissa Richards is facing sentencing after defrauding Gosford Gymnastics. Picture: supplied.

A BOOKKEEPER who ripped off a kids’ gymnastics centre more than half a million dollars to fuel her gambling addiction told a court she felt “physically sick” when she realised the magnitude of her fraud.

But that did not stop Jane Melissa Richards from fraudulently transferring funds into her own account while running the finances of Gosford Gymnastics between January 2012 and January last year.

All up Richards deposited $496,121.72 into her own account and $31,040 into a friend’s account who she duped in to transferring it back into Richards account thinking it was a legitimate transfer.

Richards is expected to be sentenced today.

The 47-year-old from Wyoming only stopped siphoning funds and draining the gym’s $150,000 line of credit, which left staff with $25,000 in unpaid superannuation, when she was confronted by the owner after coming back from holidays.

A set of agreed facts tendered in Gosford District Court revealed Richards had known the gym’s owner for about 10 years before someone recommended she help out with the books in 2012.

She came on as a contractor but within a year she was running the gym’s finances including paying wages and super for 18 staff, reconciling business activity statements and tax.

Whenever she was asked about the work Richards would tell the owner not to worry.

“This is what I’m here for, this is why you pay me,” the agreed facts said she told the owner.

“Don’t touch anything, I’ve got it under control.”

Richards was running Gosford Gymnastics’ finances when she transferred moey into her own account. Picture: supplied.

When she went on holidays at the end of 2015 the owner had to look at her online bank accounts and noticed some irregularities before confronting Richards when she returned to work on January 8 last year.

The court heard it was not the first time Richards had been convicted for bookkeeping fraud and when confronted she admitted her crimes.

“I’m sorry, I did it, I knew I would get caught,” she told the gym owner.

She later pleaded guilty to two counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception after being charged with depositing money into her account and the funds she deposited into her friend’s account.

The gym has been left debt-ridden according to court documents.

Richards took the stand on Friday where she told the court she gambled because she was “stressed” and “could not believe” the magnitude of her theft when she ultimately went back through to reconcile the accounts.

“I’m horrified,” she said.

“I feel so bad for the pain, hardship and suffering I have put them through.”

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She told the court her family home was in her husband’s name and she “didn’t even have a car”.

The facts reveal while the gym continues to trade it has been left debt-ridden and had a “detrimental, emotional and financial effect” on the owner.

The facts revealed she also drew on the gym’s $150,000 line of credit to cover any shortfalls, which was not exhausted.

Richards is expected to be sentenced today.