LA Lounge Lighting Architects: Manager Matthew Round sentenced for ripping off $92K from Warriewood business

The manager of a top Sydney lighting business has been sentenced for ripping off more than $92,000 after fiddling with invoices and funnelling the cash into his own bank account.

Matthew Round, 35, of The Entrance, outside Manly Local Court. Picture: Manly Daily

A trusted senior employee who ripped off more than $92,000 from a high-end northern beaches’ lighting business has narrowly avoided jail.

Matthew Round, who was hired by LA Lounge Lighting Architects as general manager at its Warriewood head office, fiddled with 31 customer invoices then funnelled the cash into his own bank account.

Round, 35, who now lives at The Entrance, took the money over a two-year period beginning in April 2021, Manly Local Court was told on Wednesday.

The court heard that Round was angry with the firm’s owners for not meeting what he said was a commitment to give him 5 per cent of the firm’s sales as part of his income.

He managed to siphon off a total of $92,025 by altering the LA Lounge bank account numbers on the invoices to match an account he had opened with the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd.

Matthew Round, 35, took the $92,000 over a period of two years from his former employer. Picture: Manly Daily

In a facts sheet tendered to court, the police detailed that 31 separate amounts, ranging from $215 to $8362, were “fraudulently embezzled” from the firm that specialises in the design, supply and installation of “lighting architecture”.

Round, who is married with two children, pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement by a clerk or servant.

The location of LA Lounge Lighting Architects in Warriewood. Matthew Round was responsible for the firm’s day to day operations. Picture: Supplied

He was responsible for managing the day to day operations at the firm’s Warriewood office, according to the facts sheet.

His duties included managing invoices and sending them to clients. Round was then required to monitor the invoices “to make sure they were paid” before processing them.

But he “fraudulently altered” the invoices by changing the correct bank account details to a “private account he opened in his own name”, the facts sheet stated.

The owner of LA Lounge became aware of the thefts after she saw an error on an invoice that charged a customer 50 per cent more than first quoted.

Matthew Round, 35, must complete 100 hours community service. Picture: Manly Daily

Rounds’ lawyer told Magistrate Daniel Reiss that his client had written a letter of apology to the court.

The lawyer said Round was having financial difficulties at the time and was stressed and motivated by anger for not receiving the income he claimed he was promised.

“Nevertheless, he realises what he did was wrong,” his lawyer said.

“It was a massive lapse of judgement. He understands that his position of trust was abused … the shame and guilt is weighing on his shoulders.”

Mr Reiss convicted Round.

“It was not an isolated, rush of blood type of offence,” Mr Reiss told him.

Round was sentenced to an intensive correction order of six months — similar to a suspended jail sentence — and ordered to do 100 hours of community service.

The court ordered that he pay back the $92,000.