Husband to plead guilty to alleged missing money at LJ Hooker offices
A FORMER LJ Hooker agent intends to plead guilty to charges relating to more than $2 million of missing clients’ money, while his wife pleads not guilty to her own charges, a court has heard.
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A FORMER LJ Hooker agent’s lawyer has indicated in court he will plead guilty to charges relating to more than $2 million of missing clients’ money.
But his wife and alleged partner in crime intends to plead not guilty to her own charges, the pair’s representative said.
Both face more than 300 charges after being slapped with a raft of fresh allegations by the consumer watchdog.
Tri Duc Ngo, who also goes by Joseph Ngo, is alleged to have plundered the trust accounts and stolen house deposits of clients of six offices in Melbourne’s east with wife Truc Thanh Le Nguyen in 2015 and 2016.
The couple’s lawyer, Erol Cinar, told the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court of their plea intentions at an adjourned committal mention.
“Mr Ngo does intend to enter guilty pleas ... he said he was the one who had access to trust accounts,” Mr Cinar said.
“Mrs Nguyen will be pleading not guilty to all of the charges,” he said.
The court heard both accused agreed on the facts.
Mr Ngo had been charged with 188 breaches of four sections of the Estate Agents Act 1980.
Ms Nguyen, who also goes by Judy Tranh Truc and Judy Nguyen, had been charged with 216 breaches of The Act.
Now, Mr Ngo has been hit with another 116 charges by Consumer Affairs Victoria, bringing his total to 304, and Ms Nguyen with another 115, bringing her total to 331.
The preliminary hearing has been adjourned until May 19 to give the defence time to assess 48 folders of evidence to be used against the pair.
Ms Nguyen’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.
The director of CAV had approved 59 Victorian Property Fund claims from consumers totalling $2,095,688.43 in connection with the case as of close of business on March 2.
CAV has also authorised the payment of outstanding rent moneys to 21 claimants from the balance of the estates agent’s rental trust account, totalling $34,564.79.
Court documents show Mr Ngo’s charges include more than 100 counts of “fraudulently converting any moneys received” — an offence Ms Nguyen 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 Nguyen, of which Mr Ngo is an employee.
The alleged transfers involved amounts between $1000 and $100,000.
Charge sheets show 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.