Five Dock man Ferruccio Borsone charged with $1.3m fraud, refused bail
An inner west man is accused of using a child’s tragic death in 2003 as means to defraud $1.3m from people who believed they were helping fund a lawsuit.
Inner West
Don't miss out on the headlines from Inner West. Followed categories will be added to My News.
An inner west man is accused of using the tragic death of a child in 2003 as “false pretences” to swindle $1.3m from people who believed they were funding a lawsuit.
Five Dock man Ferruccio Borsone, 68, was arrested at an East St apartment block on Thursday morning following a police investigation.
He later appeared in Burwood Local Court via video link, facing three charges of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception, and was denied bail.
Court documents reveal Borsone allegedly defrauded $768,615 from a man, $350,000 from one woman, and $150,000 from another woman.
Police will allege Borsone used a fatal accident involving a three-year-old-boy at a shopping centre in 2003 to concoct “false pretences” for victims to send him money.
Following the child’s death, the boy’s father and Borsone wanted to file a lawsuit against the shopping centre, with Borsone collecting donations to cover legal fees.
In 2007, the claim was settled with the shopping centre and Borsone was awarded $400,000 in damages.
However it is alleged that instead of refunding those who donated, Borsone held onto their money.
Borsone is accused of asking for more money in 2016, telling his alleged victims he needed to continue litigation as the settlement funds were held in a trust account.
Polite allege the money was being used to feed Borsone’s gambling addiction.
Detective Chief Superintendent Christine McDonald said police believed there could be many more alleged victims who were unaware of the allegations against Borsone.
She also described the alleged offending as “such an act of betrayal”.
“This is not about loaning a friend $20 or $50, but $1.3m,” she said.
Borsone will remain in custody and is set to return to court on April 16.
Healthy young woman left paralysed after night out
Out for a night with friends to see a band in Newcastle, a young woman has been left paralysed from the neck down after suffering a sudden stroke. Her friends are now raising funds for her recovery.
Man carried ‘blacked out’ woman to secluded spot, films sexual act
An inner west man took advantage of a drunk, unconscious woman by carrying her to a “secluded” location and filming himself groping her, a court heard.