Queensland flood fraudster Kylie-Ann Power commits $170k fraud to fund online casino habit
A serial fraudster who claimed to be a Black Saturday survivor but stole cash bound for victims of the 2011 Queensland floods is back in trouble after webbing in a fresh set of victims.
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A serial fraudster who stole cash bound for Queensland floods victims then lied to a Magistrate about repaying the debt has scammed again.
Kylie-Ann Power ripped more than $170,000 through her latest scam, a sophisticated payroll and tax rort committed to fund her online casino habit.
Power, 43, was sentenced in the County Court on Wednesday to nine months’ jail after pleading guilty to multiple counts of theft, and obtain financial advantage by deception.
The conwoman swindled $134,705.20 from Titan Security, and $34,442.41 from a Melbourne graphic design business, between October 2016 and May 2018.
Power also webbed a small country pub and the state education department into her protracted deceit.
The Swan Reach mother-of-three received almost $14,000 of Education Department funds which were meant to go to Titan Security.
The court heard the Titan Security owner, a victim of an unrelated fraud, was “on his knees” when Power took over his books.
She left him in huge debt, along with the graphic design company, which was hounded by debt collectors for a $20,000 tax bill.
Power was arrested and charged in May 2018 over the Titan Security fraud.
The shonky bookkeeper was arrested again in August 2018 after offending against Adolphe was revealed.
The court heard Power – who told police she blew her cash at home via online casinos – had a “gambling problem”.
“I don’t think there has been a time when I haven’t gambled,” she said.
Judge Phillip Coish rated Power’s chances of rehabilitation as “cloudy”.
He said Power’s “sophisticated and calculated” offending committed against “vulnerable victims” was a “gross breach of trust”.
“You knew they (the victims) were reliant on your honesty,” Judge Coish said.
Power’s criminal record is littered with dishonesty offences stretching back to 2009.
In 2013, Power was jailed for six months by County Court Judge John Carmody after pleading guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Power stole $13,000 of funds raised for Queensland flooding victims and then forged an email to prove to a magistrate she had repaid the money.
During that matter Power, a former Kinglake cafe owner, claimed to be a Black Saturday bushfire survivor.
Judge Coish ordered Power commence a two-year community correction order upon her release.
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