Tara Randell charged with credit card fraud after $1000 shopping spree
An aspiring sales representative’s $1000 shopping spree has bagged her several charges after she allegedly used a business credit card without permission to buy designer clothes, cosmetics, jewellery and even muffins.
St George Shire Standard
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An aspiring sales representative’s $1000 shopping spree has bagged her several charges after she allegedly used a business credit card without permission to buy designer clothes, cosmetics, jewellery and even muffins.
Tara Randell, 22, has pleaded not guilty to 14 counts of credit card fraud after she was caught on CCTV using her boss’ credit card to go shopping at Westpoint Blacktown and the Designer Factory Outlets in Homebush in 2017.
“The accused drove a white sedan into Westpoint Shopping Centre and entered Priceline Pharmacy,” according to police facts tendered in court last year.
“The accused used the victim’s credit card to purchase items valued at $37.74 via paypass at 10.51am.”
Over the next six hours, Randell used the credit card to spend $35 at Platypus Shoes, $142.95 on a jumper and other items at Urban Equipment, $64.20 at Big W, $60 on baby clothes at Foot Locker, $85 on activewear at In Sport, $85 on a jumper at Nike, $157 on foundation at Napoleon Perdis, $99 on a ring at Pandora, and $92.10 at Woolworths.
The following day Randell used the same credit card at DFO to spend $35.96 at Calvin Klein, $97.93 at Glue Store, $167 at Ralph Lauren, $58.90 at Peter Alexander and $7.60 at Muffin Break.
Randell was working in sales at Anytime Fitness in Wolli Creek before her boss provided the credit card intended to buy coffees for prospective customers at their new Ropes Crossing franchise.
Police allege Randell used paypass to make more than a dozen illegal purchases on November 18 and 19, 2017.
“The accused was to pay for each coffee she bought a customer at the time and at the end of each day she would use the credit card to pay the bill,” according to police facts tendered in court last year.
“A verbal agreement took place with the victim, his business partner and the Wolli Creek club manager where the accused was told that she could only use the credit card … to purchase coffees for potential customers.”
Randell admitted to police she had used the credit card at Westpoint and DFO, but had done so with her boss’ permission.
“The accused stated that she was permitted to use the credit card if she did not tell the victim’s wife about the sexual comments made towards her,” according to police facts tendered in court last year.
“(The accused’s friend) refused to provide a statement … however, she stated that the victim was flirtatious during that initial phone call between (him and the accused).”
The victim told police Randell had allegedly threatened to make allegations against him of sexual harassment if he went to the police about the alleged fraud.
Randell returns to Sutherland Local Court on June 27 to answer the fraud charges and three charges of common assault, assault causing actual bodily harm and reckless wounding after an alleged incident involving a female victim in Brighton Le Sands on December 4 last year.