Torquay mum Lisa Trison, aka Tyssen, admits fraud against Geelong employers

A Torquay mum has confessed to stealing more than $300,000 from multiple workplaces in a brazen fraud scheme that was used to fund hotels, restaurants and a Gold Coast holiday.

A TORQUAY mum has confessed to stealing more than $300,000 from multiple workplaces in a brazen fraud scheme that was used to fund hotels, restaurants and a Gold Coast holiday.

Lisa Trison, 38, has blamed a personal drug addiction for swindling huge sums of money while employed at three separate organisations in the Geelong region.

The County Court has heard the Geelong Arts Centre was Trison’s biggest victim and lost more than $200,000 after she was hired as a bookkeeper.

Trison, also known as Lisa Tyssen, pleaded guilty on Thursday to more than a dozen charges including obtaining financial advantage by deception and theft.

Lisa Trison used fake police checks to dupe employers into hiring her. Picture: Facebook

Her admissions of guilt came as it was revealed Trison has a lengthy history of fraud targeting employers and has been jailed multiple times since the mid-2000s.

Prosecutor Sarah Thomas told the court Trison’s most recent crimes took place after she managed to secure jobs by providing employers with fake police checks that did not show her true criminal record.

Trison’s offending started in July 2018 when she landed a job as a bookkeeper with Advance Record Management in Corio.

She was fired after three months due to poor performance and an audit later revealed she had stolen $95,000, including some that had been taken from her boss’s superannuation fund.

Trison outside court in March 2020, before her deceptions against Geelong Arts Centre were revealed.

An analysis of her bank accounts at the time showed Trison had splurged on hotels, restaurants, a skydiving venture and a trip to Surfers Paradise.

Months after being charged and bailed, Trison started a new role at Barwon Timber, where she was busted skimming more than $2600 from the business.

She was again charged and faced court in early 2020 when a Geelong Advertiser article about the case prompted her next employer, Geelong Arts Centre, to contact police and conduct an audit.

The investigation revealed dozens of fraudulent transactions totalling more than $213,000.

Trison has been in custody since she was hit with further charges in November 2020.

Defence barrister Amie Hancock said Trison’s fraud was motivated by an ice habit and not a desire to live a glamorous life.

“She wasn’t living what I would call a lavish lifestyle … she was renting a house with her husband,” Ms Hancock said.

Judge Patricia Riddell said a stern message needed to be sent to Trison to deter her from scamming future employers “if she’s lucky enough to get a job again”.

“It’s an extreme breach of trust with a number of people,” Judge Riddell said.

Trison will be sentenced early next year.

Originally published as Torquay mum Lisa Trison, aka Tyssen, admits fraud against Geelong employers