Couple accused of $17.4m scam bought lavish multimillion-dollar mansion outright: court
A Melbourne couple accused of scamming $17.4 million in two years bought a lavish multimillion-dollar mansion in Kew outright, a court has heard.
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A Melbourne husband and wife accused of scamming $17.4 million out of an insurance company used a chunk of their spoils to buy a lavish multimillion-dollar home, a court has heard.
Alvaro and Josie Gonzalez are on trial in the County Court on 14 charges each of obtaining financial advantage by deception.
They pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Opening the case today, prosecutor Andrew Grant alleged Mr Gonzalez bought outright a $4.4 million Kew home in May 2012 with money obtained by the deception.
Mr Grant said Ms Gonzalez worked as a claims manager for underwriting insurance agency Dual Australia when dodgy invoices were signed off to pay her husband’s company, JAAG Lawyers, for legal services that were not provided.
He alleged the offending spanned from March 2011 to June 2013, and was not uncovered until Ms Gonzalez went on maternity leave.
“JAAG was not entitled to any payment by Dual in relation to any of the invoices,” Mr Grant said.
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He said JAAG Lawyers listed the couple as directors and was set up shortly after Ms Gonzalez started working for Dual in November 2010.
The first fraudulent invoice, Mr Grant alleged, was days after Ms Gonzalez’s three-month probation period had ended.
He said a “pretty powerful piece of evidence” to show the couple’s guilt was a settlement in a subsequent civil case in 2013 where they agreed to pay Dual back almost $16 million.
The trial, before Judge Paul Lacava, continues.