Patricia Valarie Lasserre scammed into money laundering after $144,000 put into her account

A Toowoomba woman thought she had met the man of her dreams, but it turned out it was Nigerian scammers who were using her to launder $144,000 of stolen international money. Read how she was conned:

A vulnerable Toowoomba woman had been scammed into money laundering through a “romantic” online relationship she struck up with a man through a Christian dating website.

When overseas deposits started showing up in her bank account, police had spoken to Patricia Valarie Lasserre and warned her she was being scammed and that if it happened again she was to tell police or risk being charged, Toowoomba District Court heard.

The then 54-year-old told police she understood but despite further warnings from police and her bank, $144,164.60 had been deposited into her Toowoomba bank account on February 19, 2019.

Crown prosecutor Samantha O’Rourke told the court Lasserre had withdrawn some money herself and transferred $104,200 of the money to other accounts, all but one of them to banks overseas.

Lasserre told police she had struck an online relationship with “Lawrence” from Alaska who had intended coming to Australia to marry her, the court heard.

Lasserre, now 58, pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering.

Her barrister Wes Seewald said the guilty plea was on the grounds his client ought to have known the money was tainted.

However, his client had been manipulated by “Lawrence” to whom she had sent significant amounts of money initially so he could get to Australia to marry her and then on his advice that his daughter was very ill and that she would die if Lasserre didn’t send him more money.

“It was highly predatory behaviour of a particularly vulnerable person,” Mr Seewald submitted.

Judge Vicki Loury noted by material put before the court it appeared Nigerian scammers had hacked the email account of New Zealand Super Yachts from which the money had been taken and placed into the defendant’s bank account.

Judge Loury noted Lasserre had longstanding mental health issues stemming from a traumatic childhood and an abusive previous marriage.

She was caring for two young grandchildren, the court heard.

Judge Lowry sentenced Lasserre to 12 months in jail but ordered the whole term be suspended forthwith to hang over her head for the next 12 months.