By Emily Woods
The son of AFL legend Robert “Dipper” DiPierdomenico has been jailed for nine months after stealing $140,000 from his employer five years ago.
Dylan DiPierdomenico, 42, paid $18,000 back to the family-owned golfing business before he was dismissed in June 2019 but has not paid a cent since.
Dylan DiPierdomenico outside court on January 20.Credit: AAP
“You’ve had 5½ years to repay some of the money that you obtained dishonestly,” Judge Richard Maidment said on Thursday.
“I was told you haven’t had the opportunity to do that because of legal fees. A more clear link between that and remorse would’ve been to see you put [the victims’] priorities ahead of your own.”
DiPierdomenico admitted 71 instances of fraud committed over 10 months between August 2018 and June 2019 while he was national sales manager for golfing wholesaler MGI Golf.
He created fake PayPal accounts and fabricated invoices to get customers to put money into his personal bank account. His fraud was uncovered by managing director Carrie Edwards-Britt while she was going through the company’s accounts.
Dylan DiPierdomenico’s football legend father, Robert “Dipper” DiPierdomenico.Credit: Getty Images
When she confronted DiPierdomenico about anomalies she had discovered, including a golf buggy he put through as $0, he admitted stealing from the company. He claimed he had taken $10,000 to fund his gambling addiction, when the true figure was 14 times that amount.
“I’m really sorry; you’ve done so much for me,” he told Edwards-Britt.
Edwards-Britt, whose father started the business, said DiPierdomenico had manipulated her family and thought he could get away with it because they trusted him.
“He abused our trust, good nature, used our business as a place for him to profit from without any consideration for the people he was hurting,” she told the County Court on January 20. “I was in damage control with our customers ... who had been caught in Dylan’s web of lies and deceit.”
Judge Maidment was critical of DiPierdomenico’s abuse of trust, which took place when he held one of few senior positions at MGI Golf not held by a family member.
“Each gambler thinks that the next big win is going to get them out of jail effectively and cover the tracks of dishonest conduct,” he said.
DiPierdomenico’s barrister pleaded with the judge not to jail his client as he was remorseful, the case had been delayed and he had made positive steps to address his gambling addiction through therapy.
Maidment decided the offending warranted jail to deter others from engaging in similar acts.
He ordered DiPierdomenico repay the outstanding $122,550 as he handed him a nine-month prison term with a two-year community corrections order.
DiPierdomenico, who will spend his first night in jail on Thursday, must do 200 hours of community work upon completing his term.
AAP
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