St Bedes/Mentone Tigers scoundrel Jenna Ross pleads guilty to Suncorp credit card fraud

A former St Bedes/Mentone Tigers board member ripped $170K to fund premium trips to New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Now she’s been grounded.

Jenna Ross pleaded guilty to a rolled-up fraud charge.

A jetsetting Mentone woman who stole almost $170,000 from her former employer via a protracted credit card expense fraud has avoided jail.

Jenna Ross, 35, pleaded guilty in the County Court on Tuesday to a rolled-up charge of obtain a finical advantage by deception.

Ross fleeced $165,133 from her ex-employer Suncorp Group Ltd between May 2014 and January 2018.

The former management assistant used her lofty role working directly under senior managers to illegally access company American Express credit cards.

The crafty assistant masked her skulduggery by falsifying company expense records.

Ross dumped $86,250 on gift cards and $78,883 on business class flights and accommodation for her and her friends, the court was told.

Ross booked holidays to Sydney, Gold Coast, Adelaide, Perth, Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas, Dallas, Austin, San Francisco.

Ross also booked premium accommodation for her planned escapades including the Hilton Garden in New York City, Le Meridian in Dallas and the flashy Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.

Ross lied to friends about how she funded their glamour holidays, telling them she won some of the trips and her sister booked special deals.

Ross forged emails to fool friends the holidays were legitimate.

The fraudster also spent some of the money on dine-out meals, fines and her local club.

Ross’s racket unravelled in early-2018 when Suncorp investigators smelled a rat.

Her two direct managers — who were never aware of Ross’s offending — were interviewed regarding the bogus expenses.

Ross was next in for an interview.

Ross told Suncorp she “thought” she had used her personal credit card to fund her travel jaunts.

Ross also denied purchasing gift cards for personal use, claiming she had mistakenly used the wrong gift cards.

Ross, who resigned in March 2018, was not charged until November 2019.

The court heard Ross held a long-term association with the St Bedes/Mentone Tigers and now works for The Alfred.

According to the club’s website, Ross is part of the St Bedes/Mentone committee.

Ross helped organise club functions including the president’s luncheons, had been on the board and was part of the women’s coterie, the court heard.

Ross also helped fundraise for the club.

Some friends who were the benefits of the travel jaunts gave references to the court on behalf of Ross.

Judge Chris Ryan said Ross “didn’t always go to the well”.

“When she goes to the well she does a good job of it,” Judge Ryan said.

“Because of her criminality she puts others in the frame.”

Ross copped a three-year community correction order with conviction, must complete 300 hours unpaid work and seek treatment for her mental health.

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