Accountant John Anthony Grego sentenced for making false documents

An accountant who exploited his role to prepare more than $1.3m worth of fraudulent claims to businesses including a luxury car dealership has learned his fate.

John Anthony Grego lodged multiple fraudulent claims.

An accountant who exploited his role to file more than $1.3m worth of fraudulent claims to businesses including with Mercedes Benz has learned his fate.

John Anthony Grego, 66, faced Parramatta Local Court with the support of his ill wife and adult son on Wednesday to be sentenced after he pleaded guilty to seven counts of making a false document to obtain financial advantage in 2022 and 2023.

The court heard the Blue Mountains man played an important role in the scheme, for which Joseph Khamou, 49, is the alleged mastermind and is fighting charges in court.

Grego prepared dodgy forms to companies to apply for loans with Toyota Finance and Angle Auto Finance using business names Dandan Transport, Beauty by Robina and Century Holdings.

Grego used his accountant privileges with ASIC and the Australian Taxation Office to carry out offences, including changing names of directors and backdating documents in a “serious example of misuse’’ of his position.

John Grego was arrested in Parramatta in January 2024.

Grego’s lawyer Phillip Butterfield told the court a person Grego “knew and trusted” was seeking documents.

He said his client enabled applications to be made but he was unaware of the amounts of loans, indicating his role in the syndicate was minimal.

DPP solicitor Bonan Xia told the court Grego was an enabler who made the scheme possible.

“In all of the fraudulent loans set out, there is some kind of involvement with Mr Grego,’’ he said.

“He was not some random person in the street.

“He was an accountant who had his own accountancy practice and … carried a legitimate business to provide accountancy businesses to his client.’’

The court heard Grego was vulnerable at the time he committed the crimes because he had undiagnosed anxiety and depression for which he has since sought treatment.

However, Magistrate Bryan Robinson told the court Grego knew what he was doing.

“I find the offender played an important role in the criminal network in which he was part,’’ he said.

“His role was essentially preparing forms … this was part of a wider network. There were people above the offender – and Joseph Khamou was the director and organiser of it – but the role of Mr Grego was an important role.

“I find without the documents that he provided that the ability to obtain loans would have been more difficult to obtain.’’

Mr Robinson said Grego offended out of financial need and because he was “naive and too trusting of a former client” but he “would have thought a professional would have understood not to lodge documents”.

He sentenced Grego to an intensive correction order of two years and three months, which allows him to serve his sentence in the community instead of behind bars.

He was granted a 25 per cent discount off his sentence for pleading guilty in April.

He must also undertake 200 hours of community service.

In April 2024, Khamou pleaded not guilty to knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime and 16 counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.

He is due to return to Campbelltown Local Court this month.