Marissa Esposito jailed over Autism Central Coast charity theft
Mafia tales, a pokie addiction and the temptation of online shopping. Marissa Esposito stole more than $300,000 from the Autism Central Coast charity. Now, a judge has determined her fate.
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A trusted bookkeeper who stole more than $330,000 from an autism charity claimed she needed the money to pay off the Asian mafia who were threatening to kill her baby.
Gosford Local Court magistrate John McIntosh on Thursday jailed Marissa Esposito for at least 12 months, saying her actions were a breach of trust which involved “systematic thieving” to feed a pokies and online shopping addiction.
Mr McIntosh described the young mother’s claim — when first questioned about the missing money — that she needed to pay off the Asian mafia as “an absolutely amazing story”.
Defence lawyer Brian Quinn told the court Esposito, 22, had a “distressing upbringing” — her father was in and out of jail and her mother had been a drug addict and prostitute.
Esposito began taking drugs at the age of 13 when she ran away from home after her father slapped her.
Mr Quinn indicated Esposito had mental health issues, was unable to take anti- depressant medication because she was pregnant and was receiving counselling for her gambling addiction.
The magistrate said a psychological report revealed her mother had been so neglectful Esposito was found by her grandmother when just three years old wandering the streets in her nappy.
The magistrate said Esposito had written him a letter expressing “shame and remorse and how she let everyone down”.
The North Gosford woman pleaded guilty to two counts of dishonestly obtaining property by deception from April 2017 involving the siphoning of $327,000 from the Tuggerah-based charity Autism Central Coast.
She transferred the money from the charity’s accounts into her own personal bank accounts, claiming the funds were for staff wages, superannuation payments and insurance fees.
Esposito also stole $3415.76 from a daycare centre linked to the charity when handling their accounts.
Her elaborate fraud continued until she went on maternity leave in August 2018 and an audit conducted by another bookkeeper revealed the missing money.
Outside court, Jason Trigg, the husband of Autism Central Coast founder Rosa Trigg, said Esposito had only repaid $16,000 of the money taken and he did not expect to receive any more money from her.
Mr Trigg said he was relieved Esposito had been jailed but the minimum 12-month sentence could have been longer.
Esposito was jailed for Two-and-a-half years with a non-parole period of one year.