Former LJ Hooker agent Joseph Ngo could face 114 more charges
TWO former LJ Hooker agents, who face jail time over the disappearance of millions of dollars of clients’ money, allegedly plundered trust accounts and swiped property deposits worth up to $700,000.
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TWO former LJ Hooker agents, who face jail time over the disappearance of millions of dollars of clients’ money, allegedly plundered trust accounts and swiped property deposits worth up to $700,000.
Tri Duc Ngo, 36, who also goes by Joseph Ngo, has been charged with 188 offences related to breaches of four sections of the Estate Agents Act 1980.
The Melbourne Magistrate’s Court heard on Friday that Mr Ngo could be slapped with an extra 114 charges by Consumer Affairs Victoria, if the Office of Public Prosecutions ticks them off.
His wife Truc Thanh Le Nguyen, 42 — the ex-director of six Melbourne real estate offices who is also known as Judy Thanh Truc and Judy Nguyen — is also charged with 216 breaches of the Act.
Court documents reveal Mr Ngo’s charges include 114 counts of “fraudulently converting any moneys received” — an offence Ms Truc is also accused of.
This is an indictable offence, meaning the case could be heard before a jury in the County Court.
The couple is accused of “authorising or permitting” dozens of electronic transfers from rental and sales trust accounts into a bank account in the name of JNT Law Investments — a company solely directed by Ms Truc, of which Mr Ngo is an employee.
The alleged transfers involved amounts between $1000 and $100,000.
Charge sheets reveal the pair also allegedly authorised the transfer to JNT of deposits on properties, most of them in Glen Waverley, and therefore failed to pay them into trust accounts.
The largest deposit, for a property 69-71 McCrae St in Dandenong, was worth $700,000.
Commissions and money received for advertising were also allegedly taken, and tax receipts created for the money received.
The alleged offences took place between February 2015 and March 2016, with the total amount of customers’ money taken is estimated to be more than $2 million.
This much has been approved by CAV to be paid former clients of JNT from the Victorian Property Fund “for losses arising from the (misappropriation) of trust funds”.
Mr Ngo and Ms Truc fronted the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court flanked by supporters.
CAV sought a six week adjournment to allow the Office of Public Prosecutions to assess the further charges against Mr Ngo — a request that was not opposed by the defence and was granted by the magistrate.
The additional charges being considered relate to alleged breaches of section 90 of the Estate Agents Act, which relates to deficiencies in trust accounts and carries a maximum penalty of two years’ jail or a $15,546 fine.
The case was scheduled to resume on March 20.
The counsel for CAV told the court there were 50 folders of evidence.
Mr and Ms Truc had been expected to enter pleas today, but with the additional charges, their lawyer told the court the case was not “ready for a plea”.
The couple left the court together, ignoring media outside.
Some of the offences they face carry jail terms, including “wrongful conversion and false accounts”, for which the maximum penalty per offence is “a term of imprisonment of not more than 10 years” or a $77,730 fine.
Ms Truc’s six LJ Hooker franchises in Glen Waverley, Keysborough, Mount Waverley, Burwood, Doncaster and Box Hill were shut down and taken over by CAV in April last year after millions of dollars owed to homeowners, landlords and tenants allegedly went missing.