Brett Leslie Hargreaves: Inside his $1.185M fraudulent cheque scheme

The staggeringly simple way a 28-year-old Qld man managed to fleece hundreds of thousands from a major bank can be revealed.

Brett Leslie Hargreaves appeared before the Bundaberg District Court on fraud and drug-related charges.

An “opportunistic” fraudster tried to cash in 13 dodgy cheques and managed to pocket more than $400,000 before his accounts were frozen.

These shock details were revealed in Bundaberg District Court where Brett Leslie Hargreaves pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud valued at more than $100,000 and over, two counts of dangerous drug possession and one of possessing pipes or utensils.

The court heard Hargreaves’ was caught after he tried to cash a $750,000 Wide Bay cheque at an ANZ bank.
The bank flagged and declined the transaction before freezing his accounts.
Investigations revealed he had used two Wide Bay cheque books he had found to make multiple transactions, but the court heard Hargreaves claimed he did not write the cheques.

He did however successfully obtain $435,170 from ANZ, and while the bank recovered some of the funds, $270,000 remained outstanding.

The court heard Hargreaves was 28 when the offences occurred and 30 at the time of his sentencing.
Crown prosecutor Luke Smoothy outlined Hargreaves’ criminal history which included a previous stint in jail for multiple breaches of a domestic violence order and one charge of choking.

He’d also spent 14 months on remand at the Rockhampton jail after being found with cannabis and methamphetamine in addition to the fraud offences.
Mr Smoothy described Hargreaves’ actions with the cheques as “opportunistic greed.”


Brett Leslie Hargreaves appeared before the Bundaberg District Court on fraud and drug-related charges.

Defence barrister Phillip Hardcastle argued his client was not attempting to conceal his actions, likening him to “a rhinoceros trying to hide in a chicken coop.”
He said Hargreaves had been using methamphetamine since being introduced to it at 18, and that his addiction “just went wild”.
While in custody, he had undergone rehabilitation and earned a certificate in sports coaching.
His mother, who supported him, was unable to attend court due to travel delays from Rockhampton, he explained.

Judge Jennifer Rosengren noted that over four months, Hargreaves had filled out 13 cheques from the found cheque books, with values ranging from $500 to $750,000.
The total attempted fraud amounted to $1.185 million, while $435,170 was credited to him.
He then transferred the money to another account, which led to his account being overdrawn by $516,000 when the cheques were dishonoured.

In December 2023, police searching Hargreaves’ home for unrelated matters discovered methamphetamine, cannabis, and drug paraphernalia.
Judge Rosengren described Hargreaves’ offending as deliberate rather than sophisticated, telling him, “You only resisted when you were caught out.”

She also noted his addiction to pokies and meth.

Hargreaves will be eligible for parole after serving 18 months (taking in the time on remand), with his release date set for June 17.

Originally published as Brett Leslie Hargreaves: Inside his $1.185M fraudulent cheque scheme