Sacked Sydney liquor salesman Jared Mangioni sentenced for brazen fraud offences

A dodgy liquor salesman used his position as the state sales manager for alcohol producers Drink Craft to swindle cash by processing fake orders and blindsiding loyal clients.

Jarad Mangioni leaving Wollongong Local Court on Friday after being sentenced. Picture: Dylan Arvela

A shonky liquor salesman scammed his way to thousands of dollars at the expense of bottle shops across Sydney and the Illawarra, a court has heard.

Jared Anthony Mangioni used his position as the state sales manager for alcohol producers Drink Craft to swindle cash by processing fake orders and blindsiding loyal clients.

Mangioni, of Taren Point, faced Wollongong Local Court on Friday after previously pleading guilty to seven counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and two counts of dishonestly obtaining property by deception.

Documents tendered in court state Mangioni, now 39, was in the position between June, 2022, and January, last year, when he was stood down by Drink Craft.

The court heard the dishonesty offending began in September, 2022, when Mangioni altered an invoice for work completed on his company-issued Mitsubishi Triton which saw him profit $1000.

Magistrate Michael Ong said in Wollongong Local Court that Jared Mangioni’s conduct was an example of “serious offending”.

Mangioni’s grog grifting began a month later when he noticed 32 cartons of Wild Boar bourbon at the ABC Filling warehouse in Lisarow set to be delivered to wholesaler.

He offered to deliver the stock before taking the cartons, signing the proof of collection and never delivering the $1865 of booze.

One tactic repeatedly used by Mangioni was creating unsolicited orders for bottle shops before not delivering the stock.

Mangioni used this method to leave stores including Mascot Liquor, Ashfield Cellars and Charlie’s Liquor Barn stores in the Illawarra out of pocket.

Documents state in late 2022, Mangioni made a deal with the manager of Charlie’s Warilla to move on nearly $11,000 of Wild Boar bourbon stock.

Charlie's Liquor Barn in Warilla was one of the clients of Jared Mangioni. Picture: Google Maps

The offender collected the 108 cartons and sold them to Paul’s Liquor in Harris Park with the receiving store transferring $12,033 into Mangioni’s personal account. Charlie’s Warilla didn’t receive a cent.

On another occasion, the same Charlie’s Liquor Barn requested eight cartons of Little Fat Lamb shot buckets be returned to the warehouse. Magnioni agreed to sort the stock, but after picking it up he never returned it – the deceit costing the store $6888.

Employees at all the stores affected by Mangioni are not accused of any wrongdoing in relation to this matter.

Drink Craft caught wind of the fraud and stood Mangioni down on January 19, 2023. Four days later he emailed his boss about being “deeply sorry”.

“As I mentioned I did this to help my family out so I could live and get through day to day life and support kids and holiday as I had $550 left a month,” the email read.

“Happy to go through everything over the phone.”

Court documents state an investigation showed many transfers made from bottle shops directly to Mangioni’s personal account with Drink Craft forced to reimburse affected businesses in order to “mend longstanding business relationships”.

The court heard Jared Mangioni paid $25,000 to ABC Filling in an attempt cover his offending. Picture: Dylan Arvela

Mangioni transferred $25,000 to ABC Filling’s account in February, 2023, but when he was arrested at Wollongong police station five months later he would not specify why he reimbursed his now-previous employer.

In court, Magistrate Michael Ong lambasted the father of three for his “serious offending” and criticised his letter to the court for seemingly trying to “reinforce the situation was somewhat justifiable”.

The magistrate also said Mangioni’s sentencing assessment report was “concerning” as it downplayed the offending as “opportunistic” and “all too easy”.

Mr Ong, on sentencing Mangioni to a 13-month intensive correction order, said: “You have compromised the wellbeing of your family.”

Mangioni, who is now employed by logistics company Qube Holdings, was also hit with a three-year community correction order in which time he must complete 200 hours of community service.

Compensation orders of $3937 and $1372 to Canterbury Liquor and Petersham Liquor were also made.

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