Online shopping, prescription med addiction led fraudster Aleksander Frizzell to prey on innocent clients
She was acting as a financial advisor but little did her victims know she was pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars from them. Now details have been revealed as to how this fraudster scammed so many people — and what she spent their money on.
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Countless victims. Countless lies.
In a colossal scam that went on for three and a half years, a NSW woman has defrauded hundreds of thousands of dollars from innocent victims across the Central Coast, Hunter and Bangalow near Byron Bay by acting as a financial advisor.
After a series of court appearances, Aleksandra Frizzell, 37, pleaded guilty in December to a long list of fraud charges including dishonestly obtaining financial advantage; making false documents and deal with identification information with intent to commit an indictable offence.
In total, she scammed 14 victims out of more than $215,000.
One victim lost his home and more than $38,000, tricked into trusting Ms Frizzell as she spun her web of deceit and lies.
Other victims also left thousands of dollars out of pocket, their entire savings gone, as she orchestrated dodgy home loans, used private information to set up fraudulent credit cards and advertised items such as dance costumes on Facebook which she never delivered or refunded.
In Newcastle Local Court on Thursday, devastated and angry victims came to look Ms Frizzell in the eye.
Wearing a grey jacket with a shiner to her left eye, Ms Frizzell told the court she had been assaulted in prison, being in custody for the last six months.
Tears rolled down her face as she said sorry for all she had done.
“I feel horrific about what I have done. It’s not OK,” Ms Frizzell said.
“I have put them (victims) through hell and especially my children.”
Her lawyer Richard Cummins told the court his client had an addiction to prescription medication and online shopping
“The money has gone on shoes and clothing, it’s pure addiction,” he said.
“It is greed. Four pairs of expensive shoes were never worn and tags still on things. eBay is the real beneficiary.”
But the Director of Public Prosecutions argued Mr Frizzell was just sorry for the position she was in and getting caught, noting further offences were made while she was out on bail.
“How can the court accept you are telling the truth now after lying for three and a half years,” she said, to which Ms Frizzell answered, “my apology is from my heart”.
Mr Cummins said Ms Frizzell — originally from Europe — was getting help for her addiction and a jail sentence of more than 12 months could see her deported.
But Magistrate Robert Stone put aside that notion saying it wouldn’t sway his final decision in any way.
He said victims had been emotionally, mentally and financially hurt.
“Time and emotional energy. They were strung along, some for two years. Each time a phone call was made your client would extract more money out of them. They were preyed upon,” Magistrate Stone said.
“There are people crying, weeping here in court.”
Magistrate Stone named seven victims to receive compensation from Ms Frizzell, but it’s unlikely they’ll ever see any of that.
“She currently has no money at all. She has a willingness to pay but cannot pay,” Mr Cummins said.
It all started in 2015 when Frizzell advertised her services online as a mortgage broker trading under the name Fair Dinkum Finance.
Frizzell had a business account with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), but all the while using it as a personal account as clients paid their fees straight into her pocket.
The crafty 37-year-old was first arrested in May 2018 when police raided her Bangalow home and seized a computer, hard drive, laptop and iPhone with number text messages from her victims. She was given a special caution and granted conditional bail.
Again she was arrested in July 2019, she denied the offences and was bail refused, before being nabbed in October last year at Silverwater where she was taken into custody.
But despite disappointment from victims who came to see Ms Frizzell sentenced, Magistrate Stone wanted further time to consider his decision and adjourned the matter until February 10.