Gold Coast’s Belinda Ann Frantzen sentenced to jail for dealing with funds suspected of being proceeds of crime
A Gold Coast woman has sobbed loudly in court after being sentenced to jail for her involvement in a bizarre online money-laundering scam.
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BELINDA Ann Frantzen buried her head into her friend’s shoulder and sobbed loudly moments after being sentenced to jail for dealing with funds suspected of being proceeds of crime.
The 49-year-old Gold Coast mum was found guilty on Thursday of transferring more than $2.1 million to global accounts after her online partner told her to.
At sentencing Judge Rowen Jackson said it was unusual the man, who called himself Ryan, spent 16 months effectively grooming Frantzen.
He said she was “duped” into laundering money, however, it did not excuse her offending.
“In my view, the history of this matter gives context in which the ultimate offending took place,” Mr Jackson said.
“I‘m also conscious that general deterrence in these matters is terribly important.
“Ultimately, I am satisfied the penalty is a period of imprisonment which in these circumstances must be served.”
During the three-day trial the court was told Frantzen – suspected of dealing with more than $100,000, reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime – received almost $2.1 million into her bank account which she then either transferred to multiple international accounts or withdrew cash or bank cheques in her name.
The court was told Frantzen had met an American soldier called Ryan through a dating site in December 2015.
By New Year’s Eve the same year, she considered herself in an exclusive relationship with the man despite never meeting him.
Frantzen claimed to have contacted Ryan every day by using an application called Viber and had even flown to China to meet him, however he did not show up.
The court was told Frantzen was so influenced by Ryan that she had plastic surgery and stopped socialising with friends because he made her choose between them.
Frantzen said she believed Ryan when he told her he was owed more than $2 million in superannuation after serving in the US Army for 20 years.
In August 2016, Franzten said Ryan asked her to create an Australian company and to open an account with the Bank of China so they could start planning their future together.
She said they were supposed to open a new restaurant together in Turkey, with Ryan’s best friend, before moving to South Africa together where Ryan’s siblings lived.
About nine months later on May 17, more than $2 million was paid into Frantzen’s account, which was closed by June 20 after it was completely emptied.
The court was told Frantzen had either transferred large sums of money to various international accounts including in Hong Kong, Ireland, Turkey and Bulgaria, or had withdrawn cash and bank cheques in her name.
Police executed a search warrant at her Ormeau home on October 22, 2017 and charged her in December the same year.
The court was told Ryan stopped contacting Frantzen after she told him about the search warrant.
Defence barrister Jason Buckland said at one point, a woman messaged Frantzen and told her she was his new girlfriend and their relationship was over.
Crown Prosecutor Daniel Caruanga asked Ms Frantzen if she ever thought it was unusual a stranger trusted her with more than $2 million.
“No one dealing with over $2 million of legitimate money would risk it in the way that Ryan had with someone he had never met in person,” Mr Caruanga said.
“She’s not an accountant, she doesn’t have business experience, she’s never been a director of a company before and this person sent her $2 million – it is not legitimate money.”
Frantzen was convicted and sentenced to 12 months in jail, eligible for release after five months, and ordered to serve a four-year good behaviour bond.
DAY THREE OF THE TRIAL: MUM FOUND GUILTY
A GOLD Coast mum who transferred $2 million to global accounts after her online partner told her to, has been found guilty of dealing with funds suspected of being proceeds of crime.
After five hours of deliberation on Thursday, a jury in Southport District Court found a visibly shaking Belinda Ann Frantzen, 49, guilty.
During the three-day trial the court was told Frantzen - suspected of dealing with more than $100,000, reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime - received almost $2.1 million into her bank account which she then either transferred to multiple international accounts or withdrew cash or bank cheques in her name.
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The court was told Frantzen had met an American soldier called Ryan through a dating site in December 2015.
By New Year’s Eve the same year, she considered herself in an exclusive relationship with the man despite never meeting.
Frantzen claimed to have contacted Ryan every day by using an application called Viber and had even flown to China to meet him, however, he did not show up.
The court was told Frantzen was so influenced by Ryan that she had plastic surgery and stopped socialising with friends because he made her choose between them.
Frantzen said she believed Ryan when he told her he was owed more than $2 million in superannuation after serving in the US Army for 20 years.
In August 2016, Franzten said Ryan asked her to create an Australian company and to open an account with the Bank of China so they could start planning their future together.
She said they were supposed to open a new restaurant together in Turkey, with Ryan’s best friend, before moving to South Africa together where Ryan’s siblings lived.
About nine months later on May 17, more than $2 million was paid into Frantzen’s account, which was closed by June 20, after it was completely emptied.
The court was told Frantzen had either transferred large sums of money to various international accounts including in Hong Kong, Ireland, Turkey and Bulgaria, or had withdrawn cash and bank cheques in her name.
Police executed a search warrant at her Ormeau home on October 22, 2017.
The court was told Frantzen was cooperative and led officers straight to bank statements showing the transfers and withdrawals.
She was heard asking officers in a recording played in court, if Ryan ever wanted to meet her.
Defence Barrister Jason Buckland said it was at that moment, the “penny had dropped” for Frantzen.
While being cross examined on Wednesday by Crown Prosecutor Daniel Caruanga, Frantzen was asked if she ever thought it was unusual a stranger trusted her with more than $2 million.
“No one dealing with over $2 million of legitimate money would risk it in the way that Ryan had with someone he had never met,” Mr Caruanga said.
“She’s not an accountant, she doesn’t have business experience, she’s never been a director of a company before and this person sends her $2 million – it is not legitimate money.”
In summing up the case, Judge Rowen Jackson told the jurors on Thursday it was important to determine whether or not it was reasonable to believe the money was the proceeds of crime.
Franzten, who was shaking in the dock after hearing the verdict, will be sentenced in the same court on Friday.
DAY TWO OF THE TRIAL
A WOMAN who allegedly received almost $2.1 million from her online partner to help him start a business in Turkey told a court she was adamant the money was legitimate.
During the second day of the Gold Coast mother’s trial on Wednesday, the Southport District Court heard how the 49-year-old was allegedly in a relationship with an American soldier called Ryan.
Belinda Ann Frantzen told the court she met Ryan on a dating site in December 2015 and within weeks they allegedly exchanged encrypted messages through an application called Viber.
Ms Frantzen told the court her partner, allegedly stationed in South Korea, was planning to retire and needed her to set up an Australian company and to open an account with the Bank of China.
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WHY BASHED GREYHOUND HAS LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY
Ms Frantzen claimed that her partner, who she had never met, was allegedly owed more than $2 million in superannuation, which was paid into her bank account in May 2017.
It is alleged by June 19, 2017, the entire amount had been either transferred into foreign bank accounts or withdrawn by Ms Frantzen.
She was charged by police in December 2017 for dealing with money worth more than $100,000, reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime.
Defence barrister Jason Buckland said his client allegedly thought she was paying for machinery and decor for a new restaurant in Turkey her partner was opening with his best friend.
Mr Buckland said Ms Frantzen was also allegedly asked by her online partner to fly to China to meet him in 2016, but he didn’t show up.
He said their alleged online relationship lasted more than two years and Ms Frantzen’s actions were by a woman who believed Ryan was a “real fellow”.
“Ms Frantzen underwent cosmetic surgery … and the certain things she underwent were done to please Ryan,” Mr Buckland said.
“It probably indicates the level of influence this person posing as Ryan had over Ms Frantzen.
“You’ll also be satisfied that Ms Frantzen is a fairly unsophisticated person … look at her handwriting on the (Bank of China) application form, look at the way she writes her name, she doesn’t even use capital letters for her middle and surname.”
Crown Prosecutor Daniel Caruanga asked Ms Frantzen if she ever thought it was unusual a stranger trusted her with more than $2 million.
“No one dealing with over $2 million of legitimate money would risk it in the way that Ryan had with someone he had never met in person,” Mr Caruanga said.
“She’s not an accountant, she doesn’t have business experience, she’s never been a director of a company before and this person sent her $2 million – it is not legitimate money.”
Ms Frantzen’s case continues today.
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