Christopher Wiseman fronts court for swindling a charity

A trusted senior manager fraudulently obtained $185k from a Jewish charity that he used to fund his gambling and wheel and deal on the share market.

Christopher Wiseman fleeced Jewish Care Victoria of $185,000 by fraudulently obtaining 15 loans over a nearly two years.

A trusted manager at a Jewish charity group that helps care for the elderly stole $185,000 that he blew on gambling and wheel and deal on the share market.

Christopher Wiseman, 50, used fraudulent details to obtain 15 loans between November 2016 and August 2018 while he worked as the relationship manager at Jewish Care Victoria and deposited the money into bank accounts that were either controlled by or had links to him.

Wiseman’s offending only came to light when he left the organisation.

He pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in April to a charge of obtaining financial advantage by deception, before he fronted the County Court on October 28 for a plea hearing.

The County Court heard Wiseman used the ill-gotten gains on personal expenses, including gambling and share trading.

Jewish Care Victoria said in a victim impact statement that it copped a massive reputational hit, forcing it to reassure its donors that it still remained a trusted organisation.

Christopher Wiseman leaves the County Court after pleading guilty to a charge of obtaining financial advantage by deception.

The organisation said the no-interest loans program has attracted donors over the years who had trusted that their money would be used to support those in the greatest need.

“Funds by the community, for the community, have been misappropriated, taking away from those in need, which has placed pressure on our organisation as we’ve had to go to additional lengths to reassure community members that we remain an organisation to trust and support,’’ the statement read

“A reduction in the pool of lending funds available to borrowers has been a direct impact on the fraud. These funds are not easily replaced, given the interest-free nature of this offering. “The shock at discovering a trusted colleague committed fraud and robbed a community service has been substantial.

“It required significant time and effort to debrief and support staff as they come to terms with the reality that someone within the organisation would engage in such a deception. Reputationally, the organisation has been robbed.”

Prosecutor Christine Jeong told the County Court Wiseman had ample opportunity to desist from a calculated fraud but chose not to and that increased his moral culpability.

Ms Jeong said Jewish Care was a charity whose loan program relied on the honesty of its officers and that it had limited mechanisms to detect fraudulent activities.

Wiseman’s lawyer Penny Macrou said he has repaid $98,604 through small and regular payments even with the prospect of him going to jail.

She pointed to Wiseman’s unblemished record prior to the offending and his guilty plea and said a community corrections order was within range.

He has been remanded to appear on November 8 for sentencing