Jyoti Chamdel charged with recklessly, knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime

A single mother has been charged over her alleged involvement in what police claim was an elaborate fraud scheme — but she says she thought it was a legitimate job offer from a ‘Jeff Pesos’.

Jyoti Chamdel leaves Penrith local Court

A single mother from western Sydney has been charged over her alleged involvement in what she thought was a legitimate job offer, but police claim was an elaborate fraud scheme, a court has heard.

Jyoti Chamdel, 44, of Marayong appeared in Penrith District Court on Friday charged with recklessly dealing with proceeds of crime greater than $5000, knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime and dealing with property proceeds of crime.

The court heard in 2020 Chamdel connected with a man on a dating website known only as ‘Jeff Pesos’, while the two did not develop a romantic exchange Pesos offered her “employment opportunities” in the farming industry.

Chamdel was told by this user all she was required to do was open online bank accounts into which farmers would deposit money, from which she would receive a cut, the court heard.

Police allege the money being deposited into accounts opened by Chamdel had been fraudulently obtained by others complicit in the scheme, with the prosecutor suggesting Chamdel’s involvement was a matter of ‘wilful blindness’ to ‘obtain a quick benefit’.

Penrith Local Court.

“How can a person carry out this sort of fraud without some sort of knowledge with what she’s doing” the prosecutor asked.

The prosecutor also acknowledged Chamdel had a relatively minor role in the scheme and while she was not “the mastermind” her involvement was crucial.

“She was a small cog in the wheel but while small without her role the fraud wouldn’t occur.”

A lawyer for Chamdel emphasised his client came from a background of “profound deprivation” arriving in Australia from Fiji when she was ten, with a childhood marred by domestic violence and trauma.

“English is her second language, she has a hearing impairment and an IQ lower than 1% of the population. She is naive and lacks the judgement of a reasonable person.” Ms Chamdel’s lawyer said.

“This is not a person to be made an example of.”

The court also heard at the time Chamdel was recently divorced, an unemployed single mother and Covid had just arrived in Australia.

Magistrate Mary Ryan questioned the extent of Chamdel’s impairments and why she was not eligible for NDIS.

“I have a great deal of sympathy for her. She is naive and has a whole lot of issues emanating from her disability but something doesn’t add up. If she’s not a candidate for NDIS with that level of disability I don’t know who is,” Ms Ryan said.

The magistrate suggested further investigation into Chamdel’s condition was required for the matter to proceed.

The charges were adjourned for a Section 14 mental health application and will return to Penrith Local Court on February 10.