Milperra man was ‘money mule’ in overseas money laundering operation
An international gang used a Milperra man with intellectual disabilities as a “money mule” to illegally transfer hundreds of thousands of dollars overseas in the space of just a week.
The Express
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A Milperra man with intellectual disabilities who was manipulated by an overseas gang into transferring nearly $800,000 to bank accounts in Thailand over a seven day period has had charges against him dismissed.
Joel Patterson Ryan, who currently receives unemployment benefits and lives with his parents, contacted police himself after receiving bank queries about the nature of the money transfers.
Ryan was recruited as a “money mule” after responding to a job advertisement on the Seek website, according to police documents tendered to Bankstown Local Court.
“This led to the accused dealing with the proceeds of crime to the value of $791.944.17,” the police statement said.
“As a part of the job, the accused has communicated with a person called Larry Jordan via the Kik mobile application but never met Jordan in person.”
Police say that in late April and early May 2018, Ryan, 33, agreed to a business venture offered by Jordan which required him to open accounts with St George and ANZ banks.
According to the police statement, these accounts were to be used for the receipt and transfer of funds to an overseas account in Thailand, as well as a Western Union transfer.
Ryan alleges that Jordan organised the transfer of $584,396.11 and $47,770 as proceeds of a property deal into the St George’s account on May 11, 2018.
Between May 11-15, there were eight telegraphic transfers of funds totalling $577,315.46 and Ryan also made four withdrawals totalling $160,650.65
On May 14, $165,000 was transferred into his ANZ account involving settlement funds for a residential property.
“The accused alleges Jordan emailed him on May 14, instructing him that when he went to the bank, you should request for bank deposit slips for international payment, which they would charge you for,” the police statement said.
“Also you have to be instructive with them, instead of asking them what to do.
“You need to act like to know what you want, because if you ask them how or what to do, they will think you are a novice, so you have to be direct.”
Between May 14-18, Ryan transferred four separate instalments of $40,000 (total of $160,000) to the bank account in Thailand. He told police he was not paid a commission.
Police said the funds were from a property settlement for a unit in Bendigo, Victoria.
“The accused was contacted by St George and ANZ regarding the suspicious and fraudulent nature of the money transfers,” the police statement said.
Ryan attended Revesby police station and spoke to two detectives where he agreed to making 16 transactions between May 11-18, 2018, to various accounts.
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Bankstown Local Court magistrate Sally McLaughlin dismissed Ryan’s charges of recklessly dealing with proceeds of crime, saying he had been used by the unknown gang.
She said he has been found by a doctor to have borderline intellectual disabilities and didn’t know the goods he was dealing with had been stolen.
Ms McLaughlin said the man had not worked before and he didn’t think it unusual when the people he was dealing with told him not to act suspicious.
“They preyed on his borderline intellectual disabilities,” said magistrate McLaughlin, in dismissing the charges.
“He was taken advantage of by the true players in this money laundering.”
She said the man, who was represented by Legal Aid, should be placed under his mother’s care.