Aussie nan jailed over $400k ‘cancer’ scam

A Sydney grandmother who faked a cancer diagnosis to fleece $400,000 from her loved ones to fund a gambling addiction has been led away to prison.

A Sydney grandmother who faked a cancer diagnosis as part of an elaborate scheme to fleece almost $400,000 from her loved ones has been led away in handcuffs after a failed bid to appeal her one-year jail sentence.

Viviana Varas had her appeal dismissed on Thursday in the NSW District Court after a series of lengthy delays to the case, as the 64-year-old continued to avoid custody.

Varas was sentenced to one year in jail, with a non-parole period of five months in May 2024, however, was out on bail until the appeal decision was handed down.

Varas will spend a minimum five months behind bars. Picture: Supplied

Varas was arrested in 2022 over her scams. Picture: Supplied

In a statement to news.com.au, the four victims of Varas said that the case had been a “long and painful” chapter in their lives.

“What makes this case sad, is that even after being arrested, Viviana continued to lie and showed no remorse in court,” the statement said.

“While no sentence can undo the damage, [we] are grateful that today bring some measure of closure.”

The court heard how Varas frauded the four victims, all of which considered her a friend, out of $382,000 between September 2016 and March 2021 after telling them she would “invest” their money.

Viviana Leonor Varas leaving Downing Centre last year after submitting an appeal. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

Varas told her victims she had a great-great-grandfather who had set up a “family trust” in the US before making up various excuses when they asked for the money back.

One of the excuses was that she had cancer and was undergoing various treatments. Another was that her mother had died of COVID-19 and she needed the funds to organise a funeral.

Both turned out to be a lie, the court heard.

The full-time jail sentence came as a shock to both the victims and the police prosecutors last year, who had previously said a conviction to be served in the community would suffice.

However, on Thursday Judge Paul Conlon confirmed the original sentence, with Varas appearing at the hearing unrepresented.

She will first be eligible for parole on November 25.

The best friend

One of the four victims was the woman’s best friend, who she met in 2016 while living in the same building as her in Pyrmont.

She told news.com.au she had even trusted Varas to help with her young family and knitted clothes for them.

Varas told one of the victims that her mum had a heart attack, which is why she couldn’t return the money. Picture: Supplied

A fake invoice sent to one of the victims. Picture: Supplied

“She befriended me and built up that trust,” she said.

“She just really integrated herself into my life and said you’re just like a daughter to me. She just groomed me and at my most vulnerable time.”

The court heard Varas first asked her for money in 2017 for storage costs.

Over a two-year period, Varas managed to convince her to invest into her “family US trust” with the victim sending her a total $145,000.

When she asked for her money back, Varas gave the woman a cheque for $104,000 which bounced.

She reported Varas to police in May 2018.

Star casino

Another victim met Varas at the Star Casino about 10 years ago.

She said she sent her about $100,000 to invest across the last decade. She last heard from Varas after she deposited $30,000 into her account.

“She rang me up and said that ATO needed the tax,” she told news.com.au.

“It makes you feel really stupid. She makes it out that she’s a multi-millionaire and then when I spoke to her best friend’s family, she was just poor as anything. She’s done this to a lot of people.”

Varas told one of the victims she would “fix” the problem. Picture: Supplied

Varas was living in Pyrmont at the time of her crimes. Picture: Supplied

Another victim, a Sydney salesman, met Varas while playing poker at Star Casino.

He said she was making thousand-dollar bets and asked where she got the money from.

She said she was an investor, with the man sending her $32,000.

He was able to get $5000 back from the bank, but is still $27,000 out of pocket.

“She’s just like an immoral person. A psychopath scammer,” he said, comparing the case to that of Melissa Caddick.

The court previously heard Varas told the victims she had previously “worked on Wall Street” and that her daughter was a model, all of which turned out to be lie.

The fourth victim moved to regional NSW since his run in with Varas.

In his victim impact statement, he said his wife had “suicidal thoughts” after the pair had their life savings of $105,000 taken by Varas.

“They are no longer the optimistic people they once were,” the statement said.