Versace jackets: Ciro Gallo sentenced over selling fake luxury jackets
An Italian national has been sentenced for selling fake Versace jackets to more than a dozen victims across Sydney, using the cash to fund his Australian holiday.
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An Italian national who sold fake Versace leather jackets to unsuspecting victims across Sydney began the enterprise shortly after arriving in Australia in February to fund his holiday, a court has heard.
Ciro Gallo, 54, of Five Dock, appeared at Liverpool Local Court via video link, where he was sentenced for selling cheap PVC jackets as authentic Italian leather jackets to multiple victims.
Court documents reveal the enterprise began in February, with Gallo pretending to work for Versace and swindling money from 15 victims at different locations across Sydney, including Moorebank, Rydalmere, Punchbowl, Miller, Casula, Milperra, Leichhardt and St Peters.
According to a police fact sheet, the victims were “clearly targeted” due to their vulnerability.
“The modus operandi of the accused Gallo is the same, approach the elderly and request directions to the airport and give the impression he is a representative of world-renowned brand Versace before offering $10-$15 jackets at greatly inflated prices, purporting them to be genuine Versace items.”
Gallo was arrested on June 3 and charged with a number of offences.
Today, 15 of those were withdrawn and dismissed, leaving Gallo on three charges of dishonestly obtain financial advantage or cause disadvantage by deception, attempt to dishonestly obtain financial advantage or cause disadvantage by deception and deal with property proceeds of crime value of property less than $100,000.
He pleaded guilty to all three charges.
His barrister Nancy Mikhaiel submitted there was “nothing particularly sophisticated” about the enterprise.
“There was some bargaining that was able to occur but yes, there is a course of conduct … he’s got a particular spiel he gives it, but nothing in my respectful submission particularly sophisticated,” she said.
Ms Mikhaiel told the court her client arrived in Australia on a tourist visa and wished to return home, where he was employed in a warehouse.
She said his actions had been a way of financing a holiday.
“He instructs that he was approached and it was a way of making money while he was in the country.”
Ms Mikhaiel told the court he had gambling issues and had gambled most of the money away.
The court also heard Gallo had gathered the funds to compensate his victims and effect full reparations.
In handing down her sentence, Magistrate Hawkins said the police facts showed Gallo was a “persuasive salesperson” who had targeted “a certain type of victim” — people aged 55 to late 70s — and his actions showed a degree of planning.
Taking into account his early guilty pleas, the payment of reparations and the three weeks he has spent in custody, she fined him $5000 and recorded convictions for the offences.
Ms Hawkins also made compensation orders amounting to $10,150 and placed Gallo on a 12-month community corrections order without supervision.
Addressing him through an Italian interpreter, she issued a stern warning over his “course of conduct”.
“You sold many jackets to people under false pretences so you’ll not only lose the proceeds of what you made from that enterprise, but the merchandise also. But overall, I’m going to put you in a position where you end up with a net loss after you’ve done everything you’ve done,” she said.
Ms Hawkins said he was a “guest” in the country and his actions were “not the standard of behaviour that is expected in the community”.