'This man exploited his trusted position of employment to fraudulently access and spend thousands of dollars belonging to others'
A 25-year-old man from Macquarie Park in Sydney has been sentenced to two years and six months behind bars for swindling more than $66,000.
According to the Australian Federal Police, the man abused his position as an IT contractor with a third-party provider for the Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM).
Using his role, he gained unauthorised access to the ANMM's accounts payable system, manipulating bank account details, and acquiring financial information from various individuals and businesses stored within the systems.
He used the information to make fraudulent transactions, including spending over $15,000 on 4WD enhancements and mechanical services, as well as more than $20,000 on high-end IT gear.
The ANMM uncovered the irregularities in its financial records in November 2022 and reported it to the AFP, who identified and apprehended the suspect at his residence in March 2023.
"This man exploited his trusted position of employment to fraudulently access and spend thousands of dollars belonging to others for his own benefit," said AFP Detective Superintendent Tim Stainton in a statement. "The greedy behaviour in this matter came at the expense of hard-working Australian individuals and business owners."
Jail sentence for employee fraud
The Central Local Court handed down on Friday a sentence of two years and six months' imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 15 months.
The man was found convicted on multiple charges, including unauthorised access and modification with intent to commit a serious computer offense, dishonestly obtaining or dealing in personal financial information, and dishonestly obtaining property by deception.
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Stainton said the AFP remains committed to protecting Australians from cybercriminals attempting to defraud them and disrupt their operations.
"Australians work hard for their money and the AFP is working tirelessly to prevent cyber criminals from scamming, stealing and defrauding them," the official said.