Fraudster’s $ 65k paid for Bali trip
A HOBART make up artist who defrauded customers of the health insurance company she was working for used the $ 65,000 to fund her “lavish lifestyle,” a court has heard.
Olivia Rose Rodgers, 31, has pleaded guilty to 62 counts of dishonestly acquiring a financial advantage.
Before Chief Magistrate Catherine Geason on Tuesday, the court heard while working as a casual employee for Bupa between October 2015 and August 2017, Rodgers acquired approximately $ 65,000 by making false claims against customers’ memberships.
The prosecution said she would contact a customer and tell them money would be arriving in their account, but this was a mistake and asked them to transfer it back and would give her own bank account details.
Defence lawyer Fabiano Cangelosi said Rodgers was suffering from anxiety and stress due to pressure from a credit provider about a personal loan and was also affected by weight loss medication at the time.
Mr Cangelosi said his client had also had issues with being paid on time by Bupa, but the prosecution said there was no evidence of this.
The court heard Rodgers was now self employed as a make up artist and was in demand across the state for what was considered a “very successful business” and the case was likely to result in loss of reputation.
“Very few people will want to have a wedding where people know the per
son who did the make up went to Risdon Prison,” Mr Cangelosi said.
The court heard police had also investigated Rodgers’ close friends and family and had initially charged others, including her mother who was required to appear in the Supreme Court.
Her mother has since been diagnosed with terminal cancer, with less than two years to live.
“She has to live with the fact that in her mother’s final years, she was committed to the Supreme Court of Tasmania due her [ Olivia Rodgers’] actions,” Mr Cangelosi said.
Mr Cangelosi said Rodgers used the money for living expenses, but the prosecution argued she was motivated by “greed, not need.”
The court heard during
the period of offending, she earnt about $ 139,000 between the job at Bupa and her work as a beautician.
“She lived a lavish lifestyle of excessive spending and living beyond her means,” the prosecutor said.
The court heard during the period, Rodgers went on three interstate trips and one overseas trip to Bali.
The prosecution gave an example of a month of bank transactions, during the month of June 2017, showed she was paid $ 6224 between the two jobs, but spent $ 12,212 on living expenses and personal shopping.
Mr Cangelosi said he intended to call Rodgers and a doctor as witnesses to give evidence for the plea in mitigation. Rodgers was bailed to reappear on February 15.