Fraudster a man of means by no means
A serial fraudster who swindled a total of $269,000 from dozens of unwitting people and companies has been jailed for four years and 11 months.
Matthew John Young, 45, appeared for sentence on Friday in the Hamilton District Court on 13 charges, including using a document for pecuniary advantage, obtaining by deception and knowingly being a party to a company with intent to defraud creditors.
Those relate to unpaid rents on various properties in and nearby Hamilton, unpaid telephone and power accounts, and unpaid bills for work carried out at bars and nightclubs that left contractors and suppliers out of pocket.
Young’s victims included individuals and companies and the offending occurred in Hamilton and Auckland from 2011 to 2013. The names of all 23 victims and their identifying details are suppressed.
He defrauded one of his victims, an Auckland-based woman, to the tune of $77,000.
Another complainant said he had to have his company liquidated as a direct consequence of Young’s failure to pay him what was owed.
What that man and the other victims did not know was that during the time they were dealing with him, Young was an undischarged bankrupt and had little or no means to pay the debts he was accruing.
In spite of this, he professed to be a well-connected and wealthy man who led a decadent lifestyle. These assertions included the rent- ing of expensive cars that he claimed he owned.
Some of his offending occurred while he was on bail and had interim name suppression after initially being charged with fraud in February 2013.
His suppression came to an end following a decision by the Supreme Court in April last year.
Judge Noel Cocurullo castigated Young for his ‘‘repetitive deceitful behaviour’’ and his ‘‘high sense of entitlement and arrogance’’.
Young’s modus operandi included making use of falsified computer screenshots detailing money in bank accounts, which he used to gain the confidence of those he was dealing with.
At one point he established a ‘‘virtual’’ Melbourne-based company that he purported had significant funds to back his activities.
The offending ‘‘was planned, premeditated and enshrined in a deceitful strategy’’.
‘‘You knew exactly what you were doing.
‘‘This is serious offending and warrants deterrents and denunciations.’’
Crown prosecutor Louella Dunn said Young’s persistent activities had a serious impact on his victims.
They were ‘‘of a magnitude and sophistication that are at a troubling level’’.
‘‘All of these people had to confront angry and disgruntled tradespeople that were out of pocket.
‘‘He was able to indicate to a large number of people that he was a man of means. He was a bankrupt. He had no means.’’
Defence counsel Kahungunu Barron-Afeake SC described the case as ‘‘a classic ‘the cheque’s in the mail’.’’
Young’s offending resulted in ‘‘very little personal gain’’ for him and his motivation was ‘‘seeking approval and acceptance among the defendant’s friends and peers’’.
A co-defendant, who has name suppression, was discharged without conviction on charges of using a document and carrying on a business fraudulently.
An 11th-hour attempt by Young earlier in the day to vacate his guilty pleas to the charges and reinstate his not guilty pleas was declined by the judge.
Eight other charges against Young, which may be withdrawn by the Crown, will be dealt with at a nominal date of December 19.