Flagrant fraudster: Conmen Neil Wright and Philip Fitzherbert sentenced for fraud scheme
The mastermind behind a callous scheme which drained the bank accounts of many victims including a dying man was involved in a “much larger” enterprise, a judge has said.
South East
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A callous conman who posed as a fake billionaire to swindle cash from multiple victims, including a dying man, was involved in a “much larger” enterprise, a judge has said.
Neil Wright, 69, from Albert Park, was sentenced in the County Court on April 2 to a minimum two years and six months’ jail after pleading guilty to several fraud charges.
Wright “masterminded” the complex fraud which left several families in financial ruin and unable to pay for food.
Wright and his criminal lackey, Philip Fitzherbert, stole $678,617 from seven victims between 2007 and 2015.
Wright claimed he needed cash for a fantasy legal battle to access his non-existent $4 billion trust fund.
The victims – who were promised big money returns on their “investments” – paid cash into accounts held by Wright and Fitzherbert.
None of the cash – the bulk of which was swallowed up by Wright – has been recovered.
The conmen strung their victims along with a series of lies including how the Reserve Bank, politicians, lawyers, judges and bankers were holding up the cash.
Another victim lost his business, others fell into financial ruin, and some got in strife with the Australian Taxation Office.
One victim – who lost almost $75,000 to Wright – died while waiting for his money to be returned.
Wright then asked the victim’s son for more money after the man died.
Multiple victims of both men contacted Leader last February after the scoundrels’ dirty deeds were first reported.
A source, who did not wish to be named, said Wright had been “stringing people up for years”.
He said Wright had a “knack” of keeping out of trouble but would now “seek options” following the conman’s downfall.
Judge Michael McInerney said Wright “appeared to be involved in a much larger enterprise”.
“The major operator by way of culpability was Mr Wright,” he said.
“Mr Wright, of course, had other spruikers, which is obvious from his bank details, and also appears to have been involved in a much larger enterprise that I am dealing with here today.
“The fact that there are substantial moneys in excess of the moneys that I am dealing with that have been lodged by way of cash in to his account is simply a fact to be observed along the way.”
Judge McInerney said Wright’s “heartless” offending was “ongoing and cynical criminality”.
He referred to Wright as callous, cruel, revolting and a “flagrant fraud”, at an earlier hearing.
Judge McInerney took into account Wright’s guilty plea because it spared “tortured” victims more pain.
Wright – who had spent 51 days in custody – was jailed for a maximum three years and 11 months.
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Judge McInerney said Fitzherbert was “fully aware of the criminal scheme” but was less culpable.
He accepted Fitzherbert was a “spruiker” and “occasional receiver of money”.
The court heard Fitzherbert lived in a “world of make-believe”.
A consulting psychologist determined Fitzherbert – an “elderly man inflicted with mental health problems” – would find prison much tougher.
“It would be inhumane to place him (Fitzherbert) in jail,” Judge McInerney said.
Fitzherbert, 74, from Mentone, was given a 22-month jail term wholly suspended for three years.