Fraud: Zoe Voice, Walton Bevan: Some of Victoria’s fraudsters that faced court in 2023

From ripping off the government to using stolen cards for shopping sprees, here are some of the biggest fraudsters to face court this year.

From being busted defrauding the tax office to swiping and using stolen cards Victoria has seen its fair share of fraudsters in court this year.

From being busted defrauding the ATO to using stolen credit cards, there has been no shortage of con artists and fraudsters to front court in Melbourne this year. We take a look at some who have made the news.

Samir Mustum

The mastermind behind a sophisticated fraud involving impostors and fake IDs has failed to convince a court that he has an intellectual disability.

Samir Mustum, 50, was sentenced in the County Courtto six years’ and five months’ jail after pleading guilty to duping major banks into approving applications for lines of credit, many worth six figures, under false pretences using bogus documentation.

to six years’ and five months’ jail after pleading guilty to duping major banks into approving applications for lines of credit, many worth six figures, under false pretences using bogus documentation.

Mustum fleeced $1.2m — $1.1m of which was never recovered — from a string of banks including NAB, Westpac, ANZ, Bank of Western Australia and City Group Bank.

He also convinced Telstra to provide him with 206 smart phones when he claimed to be an employee of a dental group operating across bayside Melbourne.

The operation ran from 2017 to 2020 with 67 transactions over 36 dates, sometimes up to three times daily, and continued while Mustum was in custody between April and October 2020.

Prison phone call recordings revealed Mustum continued to oversee the fraud activity by instructing associates on how to sell the phones and divide the money.

The court heard Mustum roped in computer whiz Rony Mallouk to create the fake IDs and documents used to secure the lines of credit.

From the beginning of 2019 to the end of 2020, at Mustum’s request, Mallouk created bank statements, Medicare cards, driver’s licences, ATO assessment papers, and proof of age cards.

In some instances the names of real people were used without their knowledge to establish lines of credit with banks and secure services from Telstra.

Mustum’s defence for the frauds included an addiction to gambling, illicit drug use and mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and bi polar disorder.

An IQ test submitted to the court revealed he had an IQ of 65, putting him five points below the official cut off for intellectual disability.

However, Judge Elizabeth Gaynor rejected the suggestion Mustum was mentally impaired.

“I do not regard the offending in any way a reflection of activities by someone suffering an intellectual disability,” she said.

Judge Gaynor said the “sophisticated” operation required the recruitment of numerous people to help execute a wide variety of illegal activities.

Judge Gaynor said Mustum had been given multiple opportunities by the courts with suspended and short sentences for previous, similar offending occurring since 2005.

He had not shown any remorse or desire to change his ways, she said.

Mustum was sentenced to six years and five months with a minimum term of four years and six months.

He has already served 766 days in pre-sentence detention.

Mallouk received an 18 month community correction order for the part he played in the frauds.

Zoe Voice

A young woman who went on a shopping spree with stolen credit cards in Melbourne’s southeast copped four month stint behind bars.

Zoe Voice appeared before Frankston Magistrates’ Court earlier this year charged with stealing credit cards and using them to buy goods including $350 in gift cards, cereal, energy drinks and fast food.

She also faced multiple driving charges including driving while disqualified and failing to stop when directed by police.

The court heard Voice, 21, had stolen a wallet from a car in Cranbourne on January 4.

She used a bank card from the wallet to buy soft drinks from McDonalds.

On April 11, 2022 Voice used stolen credit cards to buy a $100 Vanilla Visa card from a Sandown 7-Eleven.

The same day she went shopping at a Springvale Coles and used a stolen credit card to buy Fruit Loops, a V energy drink, two $50 Super Cheap Auto gift cards, a $50 Village Cinema gift card, a $100 eBay gift card and a $100 Westfield gift card.

The following day Voice spent $87 online shopping at eBay using a stolen credit card.

Voice pleaded guilty to the charges.

Ms Dressi said Voice had fallen into drug use while with her partner and struggled to find stable living conditions.

“She has been in and out of prison,” Mr Dressi said.

However, after moving in with her grandmother and securing work as a traffic controller, Ms Voice had achieved a six-month stint without coming to the attention of police, he said.

Ms Voice was sentenced to four months behind bars, including the 49 days she served while on remand.

She was also fined $500 and disqualified from driving for two years.

Lupco Ristevski

A light-fingered thief who targeted women across Melbourne and used their credit cards to rack up more than $22,000 in stolen goods was put behind bars

Lupco Ristevski, from Port Kembla in NSW, appeared in the Ringwood Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, July 20 where he was sentenced after pleading guilty to stealing from and using the bank cards of 15 different women.

Lupco Ristevski, from Port Kembla in New South Wales, pleaded guilty to more than 100 charges after he stole and used the bank cards of 15 different women.

During April and May this year, the 49-year-old targeted women doing their grocery shopping in Woolworths, Coles and Aldi stores in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

The court heard Ristevski would wait until his victims were distracted before reaching into their trolleys or bags to grab their wallets or phones.

He then used the bank cards to rack up $22,513 in fraudulent charges at supermarkets, lotto agencies, tobacco shops and liquor outlets.

Ristevski targeted his victims in Ringwood, Croydon, Forrest Hill, Knox, Lilydale, Scoresby, Camberwell, Rowville, and Glen Iris.

One victim’s impact statement said how the woman felt “unsafe” in her home and doesn’t like going outside.

She said got anxious when going to the shops and was constantly “checking over her shoulder”.

Ristevski had already served 48 days in custody for the matters but won’t be getting out any time soon after Magistrate Caroline Boult handed down a sentence of 15 months.

The court heard Ristevski stole the credit cards only weeks after being let out on parole in NSW.

Defence told the court it wasn’t Ristevski’s “intention” to commit the offending and that his life had been “crippled” by his meth and gambling addictions.

However, Ms Boult said she believed the offending was “premeditated” and “planned”.

“All the victims would have been significantly affected by the offending,” she said.

Walton Bevan

A Mildura man who was caught scamming the ATO out of almost $60,000, was led from court in handcuffs to serve a two-month stint behind bars.

The Mildura Magistrates’ Court heard

Walton Bevan had followed tax advice from his brother-in-law, who had recently been released from prison, and managed to steal $59,769 between February and May last year.

, who had recently been released from prison, and managed to steal $59,769 between February and May last year.

During earlier proceedings, Bevan’s defence lawyer Hugh Middleton argued his client was easily confused by GST refunds and had merely followed instructions.

A handcuffed Walton Bevan is led to jail after being busted trying to defraud the ATO

However, text messages presented by the police prosecutor suggested the 33-year-old had a clear understanding of his actions.

The messages, exchanged between Bevan and his brother-in-law, read, “Bro, get Brylei to register for GST, and we’ll be able to pump 20k a month.”

When questioned by the police, Bevan admitted that he “knew he f---ed up” and expressed a desire to rectify the situation.

The stolen funds were primarily spent on Bevan’s rent and repairs for his utility vehicle, but a significant portion had been repaid.

Magistrate Michael Coghlan emphasised the repayment was “irrelevant” to a certain extent, despite acknowledging Bevan’s credit for returning the money.

He said Bevan was well acquainted with the GST system from his years working as a sole trader and therefore must have been aware of his actions.

“This is not a situation where you’ve entered into this enterprise not knowing what you were doing,” Mr Coghlan said.

“You knowingly ripped money from the Australian community … The federal government relies on tax for resources for the very needy, unemployment payments, and pensions.”

Following the court proceedings, Bevan was taken into custody in handcuffs to serve his two-month jail sentence.

In addition to the imprisonment, he was also fined $2000.

Lucas McGhie

A former Melbourne Zoo keeper and son of a VFL icon avoided further jail time despite embarking on a long crime spree.

Lucas ‘Luke’ McGhie, 39, was sentenced in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Courtto time served – 43 days – after pleading guilty to multiple fraud and theft offences.

to time served – 43 days – after pleading guilty to multiple fraud and theft offences.

McGhie’s lengthy spree began after he used dodgy bank cards to book accommodation at city apartment Eporo Velvet in August 2020.

Lucas 'Luke' McGhie fronted Melbourne Magistrates' Court on November 18.

The court heard McGhie ran up an $1800 bill staying at the La Trobe St apartment for eight nights but did a runner bailed without paying a cent.

McGhie, who pleaded guilty to burglary and handling stolen goods, used cards belonging to other people, the court was told.

Police linked McGhie to the crimes via CCTV.

Investigators recognised McGhie’s tattoos before pouncing on the former zookeeper and arresting him at Essendon in January 2021.

McGhie, who was caught with meth during his rampant offending period, was caught handling stolen goods including a saxophone, an acoustic guitar, nine boxes of Hungry Jack’s ‘promotional glasses’ and a cookie jar.

McGhie, who was also done driving unlicensed, nicked a chainsaw, a weed sprayer and various other items valued at $5000 from a Laverton North business.

McGhie, who goes by the nickname ‘Chickie’, also knocked over a Yarraville warehouse for $3500 worth of goods.

The prolific crim also duped a victim out of $850 via a Facebook Marketplace scam.

McGhie was sentenced to time served for the escapade and other crimes in November, 2020 – just two months after his Eporo apartment fraud.

McGhie is the son of VFL legend Robbie ‘Bones’ McGhie, who played 146 games for Footscray, Richmond and South Melbourne in the 1970s and early 1980s.

The former star Western Jets’ footballer was once under serious consideration to be recruited by Richmond as a father/son selection.

Magistrate Olivia Trumble said McGhie’s crimes “staggers me”.

“It needs to completely end,” she said.

“You are going into custody (if you are caught again) … there is no other way around that now.”

McGhie was also convicted and placed on a two-year community correction order.

Elise Dawes

A Mildura mum took an illegal advantage of a loophole in the tax system to pocket almost $40,000 in false GST claims.

Elise Dawes pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to defraud the tax office and successfully gaining $37,636 in fake GST claims.

Between May 4 and May 10 Dawes defrauded the tax office out of $37,636 by lodging false GST claims for a business that didn’t exist.

Elise Dawes Pleaded guilty to charges of both attempted tax fraud and tax fraud

In June Dawes attempted to make a $39,997 fraudulent tax claim but was rejected by the ATO.

Magistrate Russell Kelly said it was like stealing a brand-new car straight off the lot and asked Dawes’ lawyer to convince him not to send her to jail.

“There is some planning that has gone into this,’’ he said.

“It’s the same as stealing a new motor car and driving it off the lot and down the street.

“Why shouldn’t I send her to jail? Send her to jail for six months and send a message to the community. She still uses ice and rolls along like nothing happened — there has got be some consequences.”

Dawes’ lawyer Peter DeLorenzo said similar matters dealt with in the County Court hadn’t received jail time.

“In the County Court there have been similar matters that got deferred sentences, she indicates that she can pay back $5000 today,” he said.

Mr Kelly sentenced Dawes to four months in jail on each charge, however both sentences have been suspended and will run concurrently.

Mr Kelly warned her that this was her only chance to avoid jail and should she find herself before the courts she would be imprisoned.

“This is high level criminal behaviour, you’ve got to take control of your life and get help,” he said.

“This is your last chance to avoid a jail term, it doesn’t matter if you’ve got kids at home or who you’re looking after.”