Serial conman Peter Foster faces court on $2 million Bitcoin fraud
A case involving a serial conman who was extradited to NSW on charges relating to an alleged $2 million Bitcoin sports trading rort has taken an interesting turn.
Central Sydney
Don't miss out on the headlines from Central Sydney. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Serial conman Peter Clarence Foster wants to have fraud charges dealt with in NSW, a court has heard, despite the prosecution intending to withdraw the charges due to “jurisdictional issues”.
Donning his signature Hawaiian shirt and boat shoes, Foster, attended court over an almost $2 million alleged Bitcoin rort related to an online sports trading operation.
The money was allegedly sent to Foster’s account at Independent Reserve, a cryptocurrency exchange on Kent St Sydney, a court previously heard.
Foster, 51, was charged with 16 offences following a dramatic crash tackle arrest as he walked his dogs on a Port Douglas beach and extradited to NSW last year.
Yet, Downing Centre Local Court heard there were jurisdictional issues related to whether the obtaining a financial advantage offence occurred in NSW or Queensland.
Authorities were previously considering dropping the case in NSW and acknowledged that the charges should have been brought in Queensland.
The Crown told the court they had intended to withdraw the charges before this court appointment and as a result had not certified the charges or filed that paperwork.
But the court heard Foster, from Queensland, wanted to resolve the matter in NSW and his lawyers asked for more time to finish negotiations.
Chief Magistrate Graeme Henson said he accepted it was a complicated charge and involved an “objectively considerable amount of money”.
Under the alias “William Dawson”, police allege Foster conned a Hong Kong man out of an alleged $1.89 million in Bitcoin.
The Bitcoin was allegedly sent to an account controlled by Forster, and one of the five transactions was allegedly worth $890,187.50.
Five of the alleged offences include publishing false and misleading material – each for allegedly using the phrase “my name is William (Bill) Dawson”.
Forster’s defence team said he had used considerable personal resources to defend the charges and should be allowed to finalise negotiations and “achieve something favourable to the defendant”.
The matter will return to court in four weeks to enter a plea or to be committed for trial, the court heard.
NSW aged care homes: Who meets and fails key targets
NSW aged care residents are not getting the care they are entitled to, as providers reveal the extreme lengths they’re using to hire staff. Search and see the list.
‘30 CCTV cameras guard my home’: All eyes on rising crime
CCTV and home security systems are being installed in big numbers by fearful Sydney home and business owners amid a spike in break-ins and home invasions.