Grandmother jailed after fleecing $400,000 from close friends
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작성자 Benito Marte 작성일 24-06-19 06:59 조회 8 댓글 0본문
A grandmother will spend a year behind bars after she scammed $382,000 out of four people, including her best friend, all to fund a gambling problem.
Viviana Leonor Varas, 63, learned her fate on Thursday at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court after she admitted to the elaborate scam she ran from September 2016 to March 2021.
Varas had told her victims her great-great-grandfather had set up a trust in the US and urged them to invest.
Her web of lies also saw her falsely tell her victims she had cancer, was a former Wall Street stockbroker and that her mother had died during the Covid pandemic.
Varas' best friend, who she met in 2016 while living in the same building in Pyrmont, handed over $145,000 across two years which she thought was going to be invested.
When the friend eventually asked for her money back, Varas gave her a cheque for $104,000.
Viviana Leonor Varas, 63, learnt her fate on Thursday at Sydney 's Downing Centre Local Court after she admitted to the elaborate scam she ran from September 2016 to March 2021
But the cheque bounced and Varas then told her to contact her solicitor who told her he didn't do 'that kind of work'.
The friend reported Varas to police in 2018, KetoXplode Fondation Warentest saying she had befriended her and her family and even knitted clothes for her children.
'She just really integrated herself into my life and said you're just like a daughter to me. She just groomed me and at my most vulnerable time,' she told the court, news.com.au reported.
Varas had also lied to her friend and told her she was undergoing cancer treatment.
The grandmother met another one of her victims at the Star Casino about 10 years ago.
She befriended her and the woman sent her $100,000 all up to invest.
'It makes you feel really stupid. She makes it out that she's a multi-millionaire and then when I spoke to her best friend's family, she was just poor as anything. She's done this to a lot of people,' the victim told the publication outside court.
Varas swindled nearly $400,000 from four victims but a court heard she has shown little remorse for her actions
Another victim also met Varas at the same casino and lost a total of $27,000 to the conwoman after she claimed to be an 'investor' while throwing $1,000 bets down at the poker table.
Three of her victims had been present in court for Varas' sentencing but the fourth chose not to come.
He and his wife lost $105,000 of their savings and moved to regional NSW. The victim said his wife had suffered 'suicidal thoughts' after the ordeal.
When Varas' web of lies eventually unravelled, the court heard her long-term partner, children and grandchildren all cut ties with her.
Magistrate Christine Haskett said Varas had shown no remorse for her crimes.
The magistrate told the court she was not suffering from cancer nor had her mother died, and had 'little insight into the damage' she has done to her victims.
Varas had also told police her victims knew of her gambling habits but denied she was addicted.
Her lawyer had tried to argue she did have stage one lung cancer back in 2015, however Magistrate Haskett disregarded this as Varas had claimed to be receiving treatment in 2020.
'Lies about family trusts; lies that she worked on Wall Street. Documents that were promised but never produced. She told people she was arranging her mother's funeral and she's still alive,' the magistrate said.
Varas was ordered to pay back every dollar she'd swindled, but the court heard she has no assets.
She will be eligible for release from prison in May next year.
SydneyNew South WalesCrimeCancer
Viviana Leonor Varas, 63, learned her fate on Thursday at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court after she admitted to the elaborate scam she ran from September 2016 to March 2021.
Varas had told her victims her great-great-grandfather had set up a trust in the US and urged them to invest.
Her web of lies also saw her falsely tell her victims she had cancer, was a former Wall Street stockbroker and that her mother had died during the Covid pandemic.
Varas' best friend, who she met in 2016 while living in the same building in Pyrmont, handed over $145,000 across two years which she thought was going to be invested.
When the friend eventually asked for her money back, Varas gave her a cheque for $104,000.
Viviana Leonor Varas, 63, learnt her fate on Thursday at Sydney 's Downing Centre Local Court after she admitted to the elaborate scam she ran from September 2016 to March 2021
But the cheque bounced and Varas then told her to contact her solicitor who told her he didn't do 'that kind of work'.
The friend reported Varas to police in 2018, KetoXplode Fondation Warentest saying she had befriended her and her family and even knitted clothes for her children.
'She just really integrated herself into my life and said you're just like a daughter to me. She just groomed me and at my most vulnerable time,' she told the court, news.com.au reported.
Varas had also lied to her friend and told her she was undergoing cancer treatment.
The grandmother met another one of her victims at the Star Casino about 10 years ago.
She befriended her and the woman sent her $100,000 all up to invest.
'It makes you feel really stupid. She makes it out that she's a multi-millionaire and then when I spoke to her best friend's family, she was just poor as anything. She's done this to a lot of people,' the victim told the publication outside court.
Varas swindled nearly $400,000 from four victims but a court heard she has shown little remorse for her actions
Another victim also met Varas at the same casino and lost a total of $27,000 to the conwoman after she claimed to be an 'investor' while throwing $1,000 bets down at the poker table.
Three of her victims had been present in court for Varas' sentencing but the fourth chose not to come.
He and his wife lost $105,000 of their savings and moved to regional NSW. The victim said his wife had suffered 'suicidal thoughts' after the ordeal.
When Varas' web of lies eventually unravelled, the court heard her long-term partner, children and grandchildren all cut ties with her.
Magistrate Christine Haskett said Varas had shown no remorse for her crimes.
The magistrate told the court she was not suffering from cancer nor had her mother died, and had 'little insight into the damage' she has done to her victims.
Varas had also told police her victims knew of her gambling habits but denied she was addicted.
Her lawyer had tried to argue she did have stage one lung cancer back in 2015, however Magistrate Haskett disregarded this as Varas had claimed to be receiving treatment in 2020.
'Lies about family trusts; lies that she worked on Wall Street. Documents that were promised but never produced. She told people she was arranging her mother's funeral and she's still alive,' the magistrate said.
Varas was ordered to pay back every dollar she'd swindled, but the court heard she has no assets.
She will be eligible for release from prison in May next year.
SydneyNew South WalesCrimeCancer
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