Employees of fake business Financial Endeavours sentenced in court

A graphic designer on the Gold Coast created fake websites and false online testimonies for a bogus computer software company used to scam millions from victims across the country.

A GRAPHIC designer created fake websites and online testimonies for a bogus computer software company to scam $2.16 million out of victims across Australia.

Pierre Joseph Aghajani was contracted by a Gold Coast-based company and knew what he was doing was illegal, a court was told.

The 31-year-old was sentenced in the Southport Magistrates Court yesterday after he pleaded guilty to producing fraudulent online material.

The boiler room-type scam, which featured a call centre based in Surfers Paradise trading under Financial Endeavours, sold investment software packages targeting customers through cold calls. More than 200 dissatisfied clients complained to police between January 1, 2014 and August 16, 2015.

Pierre Joseph Aghajani, 31, leaves the Southport Magistrates Court on May 24. Picture: Annie Perets

The syndicate’s former receptionist Chloe Rose Podger, 28, and customer service officer, Thomas Philipp Pfaff, 53, were also sentenced yesterday after pleading guilty to producing fraudulent material.

Crown prosecutor Gary Churchill said fabricated sales figures, awards and reviews were created to help market the software packages.

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Podger was the receptionist and human resources manager who created brochures using fake data and screened incoming phone calls. She set up virtual offices and wrote scripts for sale consultants, the court was told.

Pfaff helped with creating marketing content.

“The scripts and brochures and websites created contained false representation of the product,” Mr Churchill said.

The three offenders were charged in August 2015 after a Crime and Corruption Commission and Queensland Police sting.

Aghajani and Podger were long-term employees of the operation’s alleged leaders, having previously undertaken legitimate and legal work with them, including for solar installation and marketing companies, the court was told. Both knew the software company was a fraud.

Podger was employed by the same people since she was 18 and was 22-24 during the offending.

Aghajani worked with the alleged principle offenders since he was 20 and was 25-26 when he knowingly made false marketing material. The alleged principle offenders were not named in court yesterday.

Defence barrister Jeffrey Hunter said the pair were just following instructions from their boss.

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Defence barrister Sally Robb said Pfaff took on the work out of desperation to make a livelihood.

“It’s a job he had for some time and was keen to keep a steady job,” Ms Robb said.

“He had no concept of the amount of money being brought in.”

Pfaff secured a new role about two months after his arrest.

Podger had completed a masters degree since her arrest and was now a human resource manager for a nationwide brand. Aghajani has opened an automotive business with his cousin.

None of the three offenders received any extra financial benefit other than being paid for the tasks they were employed for. Podger has been left with a hefty debt from her work stint with the employer because her tax was never property deducted and she did not have superannuation paid.

Magistrate Kay Philipson said Podger was “treated fairly badly”.

Pfaff was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail, wholly suspended for five years.

Podger was sentenced to 18 months in jail, wholly suspended for three years.

Aghajani was sentenced to 12 months in jail, wholly suspended for two years.