Lingerie model Arabella Del Busso found guilty of stealing $52K from employer
A court has ruled a lingerie model and former WAG betrayed her medical centre employer and systematically stole and pocketed more than $50k in cash.
St George Shire Standard
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Details of how a lingerie model and former NRL WAG allegedly stole more than $52,000 from her medical centre employer over several months can be revealed for the first time.
Reality-TV-star-turned-amateur celebrity boxer Arabella Del Busso pleaded not guilty to two counts of stealing property from her employer.
The court heard the woman who publicly faked three miscarriages stole $52,350 from Rheumatology Specialist Care – which is now called Integrated Specialist Medical Care – in Kogarah and Randwick between September 2019 and February 2020 when she was a receptionist.
Del Busso, 33, was due to appear in Sutherland Local Court on Friday to defend the allegations, but claimed she was too ill.
She made a last-ditch attempt to have the hearing vacated for a second time during a mention of her matter on Thursday.
Magistrate Hugh Donnelly refused the application, only a week after he denied the first bid to adjourn the hearing, and found the charges proven based on the police statement of facts.
Alleged theft revealed
The facts state Del Busso began working as a receptionist at Rheumatology Specialist Care on September 10, 2019, in the Kogarah and Randwick practices, eventually being given the responsibility of depositing cash takings and banking.
From the end of December 2019 until the beginning of February, the practice manager went on leave and Del Busso was in charge of banking at both practices.
Upon the manager’s return, she noticed financial irregularities in the reconciliation of cash amounts received compared to what money was deposited, noting only minimal deposits had been made.
The manager conducted a full audit of the accounts and realised $35,785 and $16,565 was missing from the Kogarah and Randwick practices respectively.
The manager confirmed Del Busso swapped shifts with her colleagues and worked five days in January 2020 when there was an increase in cash payments made at Randwick.
She contacted patients from those days who advised her they had all received a call from a secretary, allegedly Del Busso, advising them the EFTPOS was not working and to bring cash.
However, records showed the EFTPOS terminal was working.
On February 6, Del Busso allegedly sent 18 messages through the work computer to patients’ phones who were attending the practice advising them the EFTPOS terminal was not working and to bring cash.
She was the only receptionist working at Randwick that day.
Detectives obtained Del Busso’s bank records which allegedly showed thousands of dollars in cash deposits were put into her account at ATMs between September 2019 and February 2020, only after she started her employment at the centre.
Auditors attended the Kogarah practice on February 11 and spoke to Del Busso about the financial irregularities where she denied any knowledge of missing money.
She allegedly failed to attend another meeting with auditors on February 13, and investigators found she’d moved out of her address.
Detectives emailed Del Busso’s lawyer in March, who said she would be happy to be interviewed to “clear her name” but had been unwell.
She used a medical certificate dated until June 16, 2020, as proof. The medical certificate was later extended to July 14.
Officers did not arrest Del Busso, who moved to Victoria, until May 11, 2021, due to Covid border closures. She refused to comment during a police interview.
She was charged with two counts of stealing property as a clerk or servant of more than $15,000.
The practice is seeking compensation for the $52,350.
The court heard Del Busso had no criminal record in NSW, lived in Port Melbourne and has modelling work.
Last ditch effort to adjourn hearing
Last week, Mr Donnelly refused to adjourn the hearing date and it was expected to proceed on Friday, but Del Busso made a second application on Thursday.
Del Busso claimed she was ill and could not attend court, offering a medical certificate dated February 5 saying she was unavailable on Friday for “medical reasons”.
She also tendered a report from her psychologist which Mr Donnelly, in his judgment on Friday, said provided insufficient evidence and no diagnosis.
In her application, Del Busso told the court she was overseas for work commitments and would not be returning until May 29 this year.
Shockingly, the court heard immigration records showed Del Busso had returned to Australia on December 11 last year.
Del Busso also claimed she needed more time to arrange a lawyer to represent her in the hearing despite previously engaging three lawyers.
She submitted she could not afford a lawyer and therefore would not receive a fair trial.
Police sent several emails to Del Busso last year and early this year to ensure her current lawyer got the brief of evidence, including most recently sending it to a residential address in Los Angeles and emailing Del Busso a copy so she would be prepared for the hearing.
Del Busso said she would not receive a fair hearing from the magistrate because he could be influenced by media reports of her matter, a suggestion Mr Donnelly rejected.
He found the offences proven and set an adjournment date of February 28.
Rise to infamy
Del Busso struck fame during her high-profile relationship with former NRL player Josh Reynolds and became embroiled in scandal when she feigned three miscarriages while dating him.
In October 2020, Del Busso appeared on reality show SAS Australia but sensationally walked out after attempting to explain the lies she told Reynolds.
She has since taken up boxing and won her first bout.
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