Joel Ferguson impersonated Sydney lawyer Bryan Wrench, ran puppy scams

Fraudster Joel Ferguson (right), who ran online puppy scams and impersonated high-profile lawyer Bryan Wrench (left), has been ordered to pay $25,000 back to 18 victims.

High-profile Sydney lawyer Bryan Wrench says a serial fraudster who stole $25,000 cash and posed as him could never pull off a double-breasted suit quite like he could.

Heavily-tattooed Joel Blayden Craig Ferguson sported a fresh diamond piercing on his cheek in the Campbelltown Local Court on Wednesday as he answered charges of ripping off more than $26,185 from 18 unsuspecting victims.

The 25-year-old, who scammed his victims while hiding behind a computer screen at his mum’s Harrington Park house, was ordered to pay all of it back, plus a $7750 fine to the court.

Serial fraudster Joel Ferguson outside Campbelltown court.

Criminal lawyer Bryan Wrench.

Ferguson will have an electronic monitoring anklet fitted after being ordered to serve 32 months under an intensive supervision order, with 16 months in home detention.

His actions were motivated purely by greed, according to magistrate George Breton.

Among his scams, which mostly involved selling non-existent puppies on Gumtree and Facebook, he told an acquaintance he could get “family friend” Wrench to represent him for just $500.

He then impersonated Wrench, who was actually just his former lawyer, via text before the victim sent over cash.

The high-profile criminal lawyer, who is currently representing former NRL star Sam Burgess on an assault and intimidation charge against his father-in-law, made light of the strange situation.

“Put it this way, we don‘t exactly resemble each other,” Mr Wrench told The Daily Telegraph.

“He probably doesn’t pull off a double-breasted suit like me. To me personally, I am not affected in the slightest.

“But I do feel sorry for the people who wanted me and they got Joel Ferguson.”

Joel Ferguson outside Campbelltown court.

Joel Ferguson’s mother outside court.

Ferguson’s swindling occurred between October 2019 and July 2020, with victims depositing up to $2,500 at one time into his bank account.

Two further victims came forward after Ferguson’s last court appearance, with the charges added to his list totalling 11 offences of dishonestly obtaining an advantage by deception.

Mr Breton asked Ferguson’s barrister Michael Coroneos: “He has gone through his computer history to see if anyone else is going to pop up in the near future?”

“I’m instructed there are not (any more victims),” Mr Coroneos responded.

The Harrington Park man will be unable to use social media or online market sites during his ICO and can only own one mobile phone, to be registered with police.

Mr Breton told the court Ferguson’s modus operandi was to pretend he was a dog breeder and contact people who were seeking puppies online.

“And he would steal from them, for his advantage … for no more than greed from what I can see,” Mr Breton said.

“There was never any dog of course … the facts indicate little if any remorse or contrition or any attempt to stop himself.

“He did so consistently for a number of months displaying a disregard for others.

“He probably would have continued if it wasn’t identified as a scam.”

Ferguson fronted court with his mother, who called The Daily Telegraph reporter a “stupid f***ing d**k” when asked whether she wanted to comment on her son’s sentence.

Ferguson will have to undertake financial management courses, drug and alcohol testing and see a psychologist.