Josie and Alvaro Gonzalez jailed for $17m fraud
The duplicitous double-act who swindled millions of dollars to bankroll their lavish lifestyle have been jailed for several years, with a judge slamming their “disgraceful” attempts to conceal their crimes.
Law & Order
Don't miss out on the headlines from Law & Order. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A greedy couple who swindled more than $17.4 million to fund a lavish lifestyle — including a mansion in Melbourne’s east — have been slammed by a judge for their hopeless and disgraceful attempts to cover up their crimes.
Josie and Alvaro Gonzalez were found guilty of 14 counts of high level fraud after duping insurance agency Dual Australia out of millions of dollars over just two years while Josie worked as the company’s national claims manager.
A total of 428 fake invoices were approved and paid into the couple’s law firm — JAAG — under the instruction of Josie, now 45, for legal services that were never provided.
The firm was set up for the sole purpose of receiving millions of dollars in stolen funds between March 2011 and June 2013, a jury found.
In 2012, the Melbourne couple splashed $4.4 million outright on a lavish mansion.
Their “simple but planned” crimes were only uncovered when she went on maternity leave.
But despite a mountain of evidence against the couple at trial, Josie had attempted to “lie her way to acquittal”.
The husband and wife will spend the next five and seven-and-a-half years behind bars respectively, with County Court Judge Paul Lacava saying the couple had shown no remorse — even after paying all the money back and giving back their “ill-gotten goods”.
“The money was not repaid with regret nor with an apology,” Judge Lacava said.
In sentencing Josie to nine-and-a-half-years prison with a non-parole period of seven years, his honour labelled the mother-of-two the “mastermind” who induced her husband into offending.
Josie had denied the allegations on oath, saying the invoices were legitimate — a move with Judge Lacava said was “disgraceful”.
“It was sheer nonsense — most of your evidence with a concoction of lies,” he said.
The court heard Josie had a history of deception.
At just 22 years old, she was charged with duping Myer out of more than $24,000 in fraudulent gift vouchers.
She escaped conviction and was still admitted to the legal practitioners’ board almost 20 years later.
Her husband had led an “unblemished life” until his offending, Judge Lacava said.
The court heard the couple had two young daughters who were now living with a cousin while their parents were behind bars.
His honour said he had taken the emotional toll of the family’s separation when determining his sentence.
The couple, who have been on remand since their guilty verdict 106 days ago, rushed to hug each other as they were led into the dock but were quickly stopped by prison officers.
They were led away separately and will not see each other for at least the next five years.