Melbourne grifter Dominic Pantisano handed 21st community correction order after latest fraud

A Melbourne scoundrel who entangled several patsies in a $260,000 fraud plot is out of jail enjoying his happy 21st CCO.

Dominic Pantisano aka Domenic Pantisano pleaded guilty to fraud. Facebook.

A cunning conman has escaped a hefty jail term — and scored his 21st community corrections order — despite unleashing a shrewd $260,000 fraud scheme.

Dominic Pantisano, 43, was sentenced in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday to time served – 198 days – after pleading guilty to fraud and attempted fraud charges.

Pantisano, aka Domenic Pantisano, kicked off his racket after he contacted VicRoads posing as another man in January last year.

Pantisano changed his patsy’s postal address, email address and mobile number then ordered and paid for a replacement driver’s licence.

Pantisano, who pleaded guilty to dishonestly obtaining $88,500, used the licence to secure a loan for a $90,043 BMW coupe.

The serial grifter repeated his VicRoads modus operandi but this time using a different patsies in April and June last year.

Pantisano attempted to glean further loans for $85,543 and $85,000 but both were declined.

Police pounced on Pantisano at his Melbourne apartment but investigators at street level observed the fraudster placing items onto a neighbour’s balcony.

Pantisano, who was nabbed with testosterone and a Katana sword, admitted concealing two mobile phones and identity information to “prevent it from being used as evidence” in a “legal proceeding”.

Pantisano has a criminal history littered with prior deception offences dating back 23 years, the court was told.

The court heard Pantisano was convicted, jailed for 212 days and handed a two-year CCO in 2014 after pleading guilty to frauds and attempted frauds which totalled more than $360,254.

The prosecution told the court Pantisano had previously been placed on 20 community correction orders.

“I have never seen so many community correction orders before,” the prosecution submitted.

“At what point is that abandoned and it has to be imprisonment … this has caused the company to be out of money quite extensively …

“I don’t see how a community correction order can be given considering he’s had that many previously …

“It’s sophisticated (offending) he’s set it up and then does the action and also has the capacity to read the loan documents, capacity to know that it’s unlawful …

“I accept that he has an intellectual disability, I note that the report says it is ‘mild’ … I still think imprisonment, … just because he has had 20 community correction orders doesn’t exclude him from another one … (but) imprisonment is in range, it's a sophisticated deception …”

The defence submitted the psychologist report indicated Pantisano was “vulnerable to the influence of others”.

“Other people more responsible are involved in setting up these offences … my client was a player in that but certainly very vulnerable,” the defence submitted.

A Victoria Police Financial Crime squad member told the court they “believe” others were involved in the offending but Pantisano “hasn’t told me who they are”.

The court highlighted there was no evidence Pantisano acted at the behest of others.

However, the court found Pantisano’s moral culpability was reduced but his legal responsibility wasn’t.

Pantisano was convicted and placed on an 18-month community correction order.

The prosecution sought $38,056 restitution to account for the loss Liberty Finance sustained but the court will hear the application at a later date.

The court heard the BMW was recovered but sold at a loss.

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