Gold bar scammer Loucas Louca admits targeting Mallacoota bushfire victim

A Melbourne man has admitted selling fake gold and silver bars to multiple victims including a survivor of the devastating Mallacoota bushfires.

Mallacoota evacuees from the HMAS Choules are brought to shore on landing crafts at Hastings after the devastating blazes. Picture: David Crosling/AAP

A Melbourne man has admitted selling fake gold and silver bars to multiple victims including a person who survived the devastating bushfires at Mallacoota.

Loucas Louca pleaded guilty to a host of charges in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday as he was due to face committal.

The 64-year-old Camberwell man scammed more than $136,000 from a Mallacoota bushfire victim between July 7 and 29, charge sheets show.

The Australian Defence Force went to help residents in NSW and Victoria following devastating bushfires, including at Mallacoota where residents were forced to shelter on the beach.

He was charged with dishonestly obtaining property by selling gold and silver bars “intentionally and falsely advertised as being 99.9 per cent purity”, the documents show.

The victim was someone who lost their home in the bushfires at Mallacoota last year.

Louca also pleaded guilty to selling fake gold bars he claimed were 99.9 per cent pure and valued at more than $6000 between November 21 and November 27, 2019.

He also attempted to commit an indictable offence on December 10 last year when he agreed to sell three replica gold bars, which he advertised as having high purity.

He admitted selling fake gold. Picture: David Gray/AFP

The man also pleaded guilty to dealing with 22 mobile phones and six laptops suspected of being the proceeds of crime.

Some of those items may be able to be returned to the owners, the court was told.

During the hearing, he spoke to confirm his guilty plea before he was committed to face a plea hearing the County Court of Victoria in September.

He made no application for bail.