Melton South mum Roselyn Taione pleads guilty to recklessly deal with the proceeds of crime

A Melton South mum blew $225,000 of fraud cash via a five-day Brewster’s Millions-style spending spree.

Roselyn Taione pleaded guilty to recklessly deal with proceeds of crime. Facebook.

A scoundrel mum who blew $225,000 fleeced via a fraud on a five-day shopping frenzy at various stores including Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Breitling has avoided a jail term.

Roselyn Taione, 33, was sentenced in the County Court on Wednesday to a three-year community correction order after pleading guilty to recklessly dealing with the proceeds of the crime.

The Melton South disability support worker’s frenetic spending splurge kicked-off after $225,651 mysteriously lobbed in her bank account on November 30 last year.

The cash, gleaned via a rort on a million-dollar plus Prahran property deal, was commission for real estate agent Burtons Pty Ltd but fraudulently diverted to Taione’s account.

Taione, who is not alleged to have been involved in the fraud, dumped the entire amount between November 30 and December 4.

Taione spent big at multiple stores including Foot Locker, JB Hi Fi and The Good Guys and splashed $22,000 at Costco on Apple products, jewellery and watches.

Taione also found time to fly up to Sydney where she burned money at Burberry, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and The Breitling Boutique.

Taione “ramped” her shopping spree up when she attempted to purchase a $57,000 Rolex at Crown Casino but the transaction ”failed”.

Taione also feverishly transferred and withdrew cash and purchased $16,000 in US currency worth more than $20,000 AUD.

Burtons reported the theft to police on December 7 last year.

Police, who tracked down Taione via her bank account and CCTV footage, arrested the mum at her former Strathtulloh home.

Taione spent $225,000 in five days.

Investigators seized booty including $1350 cash, four iPhones, an iPad Pro, a Mac Book Pro, a Nintendo Switch, jewellery, three televisions, a Louis Vuitton handbag, Burberry clothing, Nike shoes and “assorted” homewares and appliances.

Taione told police she “didn’t know where the money came from” but “was scared because it was large amount of money”.

Taione claimed she was told she had 48 hours to spend the cash before her account was blocked and in return would receive $20,000 and get to keep her “cut” of the shopping spree.

Taione, who claimed it “didn’t come to her mind that something was dodgy”, told police she was instructed to take withdrawn cash to Sydney and leave it in a shoebox in a garage.

Taione also claimed she was instructed to dump her account which she did spending up big at the high-end Sydney stores.

The court heard many of Taione’s relatives received gifts including jewellery, a diamond ring and an iPhone.

Burtons director Lucas Burton told the court he felt “extreme anger”.

“This is ridiculous,” Mr Burton said

“I would love to her to see her go to jail for as long as possible … but I just want to get the money back for myself and my employees.”

Zarah Garde-Wilson, for Taione, submitted her client was a “scapegoat”.

“She is a woman of prior good character … this offending was over a five-day period and she was very quickly apprehended,” Ms Garde-Wilson said.

“What you will see from the material before the court that she is really been the scapegoat in relation to the primary offenders … she’s extremely naive … all signs were leading to her … it goes to show her naivety.”

“She’s not an unintelligent woman, it’s quite clear …,” Judge Robert Dyer said.

“It’s conceded she is of high academic intelligence … the naivety is in relation to criminal liability,” Ms Garde-Wilson said.

Judge Dyer accepted Taione’s prior good character.

“She must be given credit for that good record … but against that … it’s a lot of money,” Judge Dyer said.

“A pair of Nikes at Costco is one thing but lining up for a Rolex for 57 grand at Crown is quite another.”

The court was told Taione’s was too scared to give up the masterminds behind the fraud.

“She was in no way a criminal mastermind,” Judge Dyer said.

Prosecutor Andrew Sprague said Taione’s offending was an “important and crucial function in criminal operations”.

“The whole point with moneys being fraudulently obtained is to keep it and use it and here … the money has been dispersed and spent,” Mr Sprague said.

Taione, who works nights as a disability support worker, was convicted and also ordered to perform 300 hours of unpaid community work with discounts for treatment.

Taione was also ordered to repay the full $225,651.

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