Jem Grospe Pablo: Sydney man sentenced for role in multinational puppy scam

A drug addiction stemming from a desire to improve sexual function and a desperation to help his family underpinned a Sydney man’s involvement in a multinational puppy scam. Now, he’s learned his fate.

A former hotel entertainer became embroiled in a multinational puppy scam after he turned to ice to help his “sexual functioning”, but soon became addicted and desperate for cash, a court has heard.

Jem Grospe Pablo, 54, was sentenced at Downing Centre District Court on Friday after pleading guilty to six counts of knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime.

The court heard how a crippling drug addiction led him to act as a money mule for a cross-country criminal syndicate which put up fraudulent ads for designer dogs across Australia and scammed more than $120,000 out of vulnerable people looking for pets amid the height of the Covid lockdown.

Pablo received about $35,000 out of the money scammed, by converting the deposits for mostly mainly English Staffordshire Bull Terriers and French Bulldogs into cryptocurrency.

There is no suggestion Pablo was a major player — or one of the central operators — of this group.

Jem Pablo was sentenced for his role in a multinational puppy scam

The court heard Pablo’s struggles began while growing up in the Philippines when his police officer father was jailed for shooting someone in the line of duty.

Pablo worked as a hotel entertainer in Thailand for five years, before moving to Australia with his partner and starting an IT business. The court heard he had been living with HIV since 2014.

Pablo was sentenced to a two-year intensive corrections order

In 2020, he started using ice for his “sexual functioning,” but soon became addicted, the court heard.

Then in early 2021, his family’s pig farming business collapsed and he needed to start supporting his family.

Pablo unintentionally fell into lap of the puppy scam’s ringleader, but his two-pronged need for cash — feeding his addiction and supporting his family — made him stay.

Court heard he initially thought he was hired by a legitimate puppy selling business to do marketing and SEO work, but was persuaded to act as a recipient of funds for the puppy buyers.

But things did not seem right, and by May 2020 he was aware members of the public were not getting their puppies.

The court heard drug addiction led him to stay involved in the scam

Despite this revelation, Pablo continued to receive dodgy deposits for another six months.

In late 2020, Pablo voluntarily went to a police station and explained he had at first been a “victim” of the scam. He then made full admissions to staying involved in the activity for financial gain and used his IT expertise to help police find his boss.

But that boss — the ringleader of the scam — remains missing.

Judge Fitzsimmons sentenced Pablo to a two-year intensive corrections order to be served in the community, 200 hours of community service and an order to continue drug rehabilitation.

The penalty was reduced by 35 per cent due to his early guilty plea and help to authorities.

“It must be acknowledged there were numerous victims. I accept the crown’s submission that it was sophisticated and opportunistic,” Judge Fitzsimmons said.

“I take into account his otherwise good character … he suffers from generalised anxiety and drug abuse. He still supports his family overseas.”