Frank Hanna pleads guilty to dishonesty charges over $500k luxury cars finance scam
The problem gambler admitted using stolen identities — including one belonging to an incarcerated criminal — to scam car yards out of more than $500k worth of luxury vehicles.
A problem gambler has admitted using stolen identities — including that of an incarcerated criminal — to buy more than half a million dollars worth of luxury cars in a brazen finance scam, a court has heard.
Frank Hanna, from Bonnyrigg, claims he was hired by an Asian crime gang to attend car yards across western Sydney and purchase vehicles on finance, using the identities of unsuspecting victims.
He told police he was paid less than $1,000 for his time, despite the scam netting six vehicles worth a combined $516,085.
They included an Audi R5 valued at $146,032, a BMW 530D priced at $119,872 and a Lexus RX450 worth $107,595.
According to court documents, Hanna would provide a driver’s licence featuring his picture but the name and address details of the individual victim each time he purchased a vehicle.
He would also provide a Medicare card and work payslips in the person’s name and apply for finance to cover the full cost of the car.
Once collected, Hanna would transfer ownership of the vehicles into different names — always for just a fraction of their purchase value — at the direction of those instructing him.
No repayments were ever made on the loans, the court heard.
When questioned by police after his arrest, Hanna initially denied participating in the scam, but eventually admitted to being approached by “gang guys” while gambling at Mounties at Mt Pritchard.
The 49-year-old agreed to help them after they promised to pay him $100-$150 for each car he obtained and $50 per visit to Services NSW to transfer the registrations.
The court heard Hanna asked what exactly he was signing at the dealerships but the men — whom he described as being of Asian ethnicity — told him not to worry.
He said he provided the group with a passport-style photograph and they provided the fake documents that he was to present to the car yards.
The agreed facts state one of the victims, a man named Lee Martin, whose identity was used to purchase the Lexus and an $85,000 Volkswagen Arteon, has been in custody since 2020 and has never purchased a vehicle.
Other victims only became aware their identities had been used in the scam when they were contacted by the finance companies, chasing them for money.
The court heard one victim reported the matter to police, prompting an investigation during which officers carried out surveillance on Hanna and a co-accused.
Hanna was seen in possession of the BMW and a Volkswagen Transporter soon after they were purchased, however the vehicles ultimately ended up at different locations.
The court heard the Lexus, the Arteon, the BMW and the Audi were recovered by police, but the Transporter and a Toyota HiAce van remained unaccounted for.
Hanna was arrested in March last year and charged with five counts of dishonestly obtaining property by deception and two counts each of knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime intending to conceal and recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime.
He pleaded guilty to the charges in Campbelltown Local Court on Wednesday.
He will remain on bail over the Christmas period but prosecutors have flagged an application to have him taken into custody when the matter returns to court in February for the start of his sentencing proceedings.
