No bail for ‘Monstr’ car fraud accused
A HUNDRED thousands dollars wasn’t enough to get Scott Allan Stoneman out of custody over his alleged role in a “Monstr” interstate highend car fraud syndicate.
The Coomera business manager of popular clothing and car modification business Monstr was denied bail in the Tweed Heads Local Court on Monday.
That was despite his brother and sister each throwing in $50,000 in surety that Stoneman would not leave the country or breach bail.
Magistrate Geoff Dunlevy said he could not be certain Stoneman would not try to leave Australia.
Stoneman, 35, was denied bail when he first appeared in court last month.
His co-accused, Monstr owner and alleged Comanchero gang member Shane Anthony Ross, 35, was granted bail at the time due to poor health after having brain tumours removed on September 8. Another member of the alleged syndicate remains on the run.
Stoneman and Ross, both from Coomera, appeared in court at Tweed Heads in September after being extradited from Queensland. Ross was granted bail while Stoneman was kept in custody.
Mr Dunlevy’s decision to keep Stoneman in custody was made on new police documents filed in court which allege the syndicate had a sophisticated fake identification racket.
Police allege in court documents that Stoneman “has committed serious deception offences as part of an organised criminal group, which at this stage has excesses $4,433,835”.
Police allege the syndicate would use fake IDs to secure car loans from major financial institutions such as the Commonwealth Bank, Suncorp, Mercedes Finance, Toyota and Nissan.
It is alleged the syndicate would secure loans for highend cars such as Mercedes, and Holden HSV GTS and HSV ClubSports and then change the payment details to BPAY, make three payments and stop.
The operation used fake IDs to register cars with NSW Roads and Maritime Service so the finance companies could not locate them, police allege in court documents.
“Investigations identified the group as using no less than 16 faces … however the figure is expected to be far greater,” police allege. “Investigators are aware of 50 successful loan applications.”
Police allege the syndicate then sold the cars.
Fraser Lawyers’ Marty Longhurst told the court Stoneman would not talk to Ross if he was released and he had work with another company.
“The allegations against my client as a whole are significant,” he said. But the sum on the front page (of the facts) is mystifying in respect to Mr Stoneman.”
The police summary of facts allege a stolen Ford Ranger was found at Stoneman’s Coomera home when it was raided by Queensland police in May last year.
“It is what is reported to be a work vehicle,” Mr Longhurst said.
“I know the registered owner later made comment that my client asked him to register the vehicle in his name but it is ostensibly used for work.”
Magistrate Dunlevy said despite two people posting considerable amounts of money for Stoneman to be released on bail, he thought he was still a “serious concern to the community”.
“I have serious concerns of him committing a serious offence or contacting the other co-accused,” he said. “Bail is refused.” Stoneman will appear at Campbelltown Local Court on November 21 along with Ross and fellow co-accused Hilal Merhi.
Another co-accused, Mohamad Alameddine, will face numerous fraud charges at Sutherland District Court on November 12.
Alleged ringleader Christian Nassar is still on the run after ramming a police car in Sydney on September 18.