Angelina Deliciso's sentence for NDIS money laundering role reduced due to low IQ
A woman who moved $1 million in brown paper bags for an NDIS rort saw her low IQ take centre stage in court as the judge handed down their decision.
A woman who handed out more than a million dollars in cash in brown paper bags as part of an elaborate NDIS fraud scam, had her sentence reduced due to her low IQ and history of abuse.
Angelina Deliciso, 48, pleaded guilty to negligently dealing with the proceeds of crime, but claimed she had no idea she was involved in anything untoward and would never knowingly defraud the NDIS.
An investigation by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) found Deliciso played a role in a money laundering network linked to more than $3.8 million dollars.
It found that eight companies, of which seven had their business details stolen, were falsely registered as NDIS providers for the purposes of defrauding the NDIS.
None of the companies provided care services to holders of NDIS plans.
Deliciso is not accused of having any involvement in these offences.
The Sydney District Court at Darlinghurst heard how Deliciso withdrew $1.1m in cash in 81 transactions, ranging from $310 to $50,000, from different ATMs across Sydney over a six week period in 2018.
At different locations, she handed out cash in brown paper bags through her car window, but claimed she thought she was paying subcontractors at construction sites, including a renovation of an Islamic childcare centre.
Judge Chris O’Brien accepted that Deliciso’s mild intellectual disability likely “contributed in some way to her offending”, and that she did not live an “extravagant lifestyle”.
Deliciso sobbed loudly and was comforted by her daughter, as the judge detailed the neglect, violence and sexual abuse she suffered as a child and how her first husband, through an arranged marriage, and his mother were also abusive. Her eldest son was also violent towards her, even stomping on her head on one occasion.
He said Deliciso, a mother of four children aged 24 to 31, had a complex mental health history and in the past had abused alcohol.
Judge O’Brien said he was satisfied that Deliciso has shown “contrition and is remorseful” and due to her IQ of 71 and history of abuse, reduced her sentence accordingly to 18 months imprisonment to be served in the way of an Intensive Corrections Order. The maximum sentence she could have received was five years imprisonment.
After the sentencing, the NDIA said Deliciso’s case follows an earlier conviction of another member of the same network, Jugurtha Zafrane, who received $31,000 of the fraudulent claims, which he moved through multiple bank accounts.
The 42-year-old was sentenced in NSW District Court in July 2022 to five months imprisonment, which he served by Intensive Corrections Order, and 100 hours of community service for recklessly dealing with proceeds of crime. He also paid a $32,000 reparation order.
A spokesperson for the NDIA said the case “sends a clear message that those who commit fraud against the NDIS and participants will be caught and held to account”.
“Fraud is a serious crime that diverts money away from those who need it the most,” the spokesperson said.
The NDIA worked with the Australian Federal Police to execute search warrants across Sydney in April 2021, resulting in the arrest of Zafrane.
Since 2022, the Government has invested more than $550 million in the Crack Down on Fraud and Payment Integrity programs and the Fraud Fusion Taskforce. The fraud taskforce currently has 635 investigations underway.
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Originally published as Angelina Deliciso's sentence for NDIS money laundering role reduced due to low IQ
