Former Cumberland Hotel owner James Anthony Consiglio bought new phone and TV with stolen credit cards

The former owner of a Smeaton pub stole a woman’s credit cards and bought himself a phone and TV, and years later, lied on his liquor licence application.

Former Smeaton pub owner James Anthony Consiglio was sentenced in Kyneton Magistrates' Court on August 15, 2023. Photo: Facebook

A former central Victorian publican enriched himself with credit cards he stole from an ill friend and lied on his application for a liquor licence.

James Anthony Consiglio, a chef and former co-owner of the Cumberland Hotel in Smeaton, appeared at Kyneton Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday charged with 57 offences, including theft, making a false statement in an application, failing to answer bail, obtaining financial advantage by deception, and obtaining property by deception.

Court documents said that in 2020, Consiglio met a woman while they were both patients at a Camberwell hospital and offered to help her buy groceries and medicine.

The woman gave him a MasterCard and Visa card with the “strict condition” that he use them at a South Yarra chemist and IGA.

Consiglio did so, but held on to the cards for himself.

Throughout January and mostly in Melbourne, he spent more than $7200 at department stores, petrol stations, supermarkets, fast food outlets, bottle shops, milk bars, a butcher, and more.

He made purchases at Pancake Parlour, paid for a Netflix subscription, topped up his Myki, relaxed at hot springs, ordered an iPhone and 4K television worth more than $2400 from JBHiFi, and made a $450 booking at a St Kilda restaurant for his mum’s birthday.

When the woman who owned the cards noticed them missing, she told Consiglio.

She was unable to find them where he specified, but Consiglio managed to do so once he arrived.

Over time, the victim was able to recoup most of her money.

Consiglio used to co-own the Cumberland Hotel in Smeaton. Picture: Supplied

In June 2021, Consiglio claimed $450 from the state government by declaring he could not work due to being in Covid isolation.

Documents said he in fact worked remotely at a call centre and did not have Covid.

He did this successfully twice, and then on a third occasion made seven separate applications with different information, which were unsuccessful.

Two more attempts in July and one in September also proved unfruitful.

When arrested, Consiglio denied making fraudulent applications, saying he made three in total and that “an issue on the portal” had duplicated others.

In September 2022, Consiglio allegedly answered a questionnaire as part of a liquor licence application for the Cumberland Hotel, saying that he did not have any charges pending against him.

In reality, documents said, he had 55 charges against him at the time.

He was interviewed and told police: “We were in the midst of renovations, I don’t know.

“I don’t recall that question.”

When asked if he recalled reading the acknowledgment section of the questionnaire, he said: “Look, I probably did”.

“I don’t remember.”

The Smeaton pub closed earlier this year following what Consiglio called “hate and harassment”.

He and his co-owner then appeared to be served with documents alleging breaches of their lease and thousands in rent arrears.

Consiglio pleaded guilty and was sentenced to an 18-month corrections order and 300 hours of unpaid community work.

He was convicted and fined $1500.