Former Dragons player Reece Simmonds’ wife faces court over alleged fraud

The wife of a former St George Illawarra Dragons star has been spending thousands on clothes and beauty treatments, after allegedly stealing more than $330,000 from her former employer.

Belinda Simmonds is accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from her former employer.

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The wife of former St George Illawarra Dragons star Reece Simmonds has been spending thousands on furniture, clothes beauty treatments and holidays, after allegedly stealing more than $330,000 from her former employer.

Former WAG Belinda Simmonds is accused of misappropriating hundreds of thousands of dollars from her employer, Kiama Shellharbour Family Daycare Centre between 2013 and 2018.

The mother of three was charged with 35 counts of dishonestly obtaining financial gain by deception in December, after a long police investigation.

At an earlier appearance she plead not guilty to all of the charges. Simmonds, who is on bail, faced Port Kembla Local Court flanked by her husband on Wednesday, where her matter was briefly mentioned and adjourned to next month.

Belinda Simmonds has been charged with 35 counts of dishonestly obtaining financial gain by deception.

Police allege that between 2013 and 2018, the mother of three transferred $100,502 from the day care’s account into her own Greater Bank account on 183 separate occasions.

Between the 2014 and 2018 financial years, Simmonds is also accused of paying herself more than $147,000 in extra wages and annual leave.

According to police charge sheets, Simmonds allegedly used money from the day care’s accounts to pay for her own lavish lifestyle.

Police allege on four separate occasions she used the day care’s money to pay for more than $1100 dollars in treatments like Botox and laser hair removal at Laser Clinics Shellharbour, and $3900 on workout gear from Lorna Jane.

Over the five year period, Simmonds spent thousands on beauty treatments and new clothes, as well as furniture and appliances.

Simmonds is also accused of using the day care’s money to spruce up her beachside Towradgi home. In April 2016, she allegedly spent more than $1900 on a new dining table, bench and chairs at Freedom Furniture. In February 2017 she spent $1013 on a new dryer, kettle and four — slice toaster and one two separate occasions in 2017 and 2018, Simmonds spent a further $741 at Bunnings Warehouse using company cash.

Payments to both Edmund Rice College and Towradgi Public School for school fees were allegedly also made using company funds.

Simmonds and her husband Reece, former St George Illawarra Dragons player.

Simmonds allegedly made payments from the daycare centre’s accounts to the wife and daughter of Dragons coach Paul McGregor. Police charge sheets alleged that Simmonds transferred McGregor’s daughter Demi $291 and wife Nicole $620 for “personal reasons”.

From 2016 to 2018 Simmonds is also alleged to have paid more than $4900 to Telstra for personal phone bills using the day care’s funds. It’s also alleged she used company money to pay off a personal loan with Lion Finance to the value of $4600.

Between 2017 and 2018 Simmonds is also accused of spending more than $4000 on trips to Kingscliffe and Tingarra Resorts.

The case will return to Port Kembla Local Court on May 8 for a further mention.

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