A CASE OF TAKEN IDENTITY
TECH WHIZ’S $250K SCAM: Fraudster stole 1000 people’s ID in ploy to pay for lavish lifestyle
A FRAUDSTER has walked from court a free man afte after taking on the identities of innocent vic victims to fund a lavish lifestyle involving drugs, hotels and luxurious cars.
As the mas mastermind of a scheme fit for a Hollywood movie, James O’Rourke, pictur pictured, used his extensive knowledg knowledge with computers to defraud ba banks and access $250,000 in the names of people oblivious to his crimes.
The Wallington man relied on passports, mortgage contracts and other sensitive infor information to prop up his criminal enterprise, with police busting him in posse possession of identity documents in the names of close to 1000 people.
A FRAUDSTER has walked from court a free man after taking on the identities of innocent victims to fund a lavish lifestyle involving drugs, hotels and luxurious cars.
James O’Rourke used his extensive knowledge with computers to defraud banks and access $250,000 in the names of people oblivious to his crimes.
The Wallington man relied on passports, mortgage contracts and other sensitive information to prop up his criminal enterprise, with police busting him in possession of identity documents in the names of close to 1000 people.
The 35-year-old was sentenced yesterday to time served and a community correction order after pleading guilty at Geelong Magistrates’ Court to a string of deception charges.
O’Rourke initially came to the attention of police in October 2018 when a Geelong hotel cleaner discovered a small bag of ice in his room. Police attended the hotel while O’Rourke was out and stumbled upon a sophisticated set-up of computer systems and tools to make personal identifications.
In a plastic folder, O’Rourke had a large number of handwritten notes containing employment details of more than 40 people, as well as birth certificates and utility bills.
His laptop contained 800plus folders in the names of people who had made applications with a Geelong mortgage broker. Police also found templates to create false licences and registration plates.
When O’Rourke returned to the hotel, he was driving an Audi obtained in the name of a man who lost his wallet five months earlier.
The victim only became aware of the car’s existence when he received infringement notices, the court heard.
Some of the cache of identity documents found in O’Rourke’s possession had been stolen from homes and vehicles in Geelong, Warrnambool and Melbourne.
O’Rourke was charged and bailed after his initial arrest, but returned to custody in May last year when police realised he was continuing to offend. He was again granted bail last July.
Investigations eventually revealed O’Rourke had assumed the identities of at least 27 people to apply for loans and credit cards from two major banks.
The total amount he was able to access was $248,735.
Defence lawyer Felicity Fox told the court O’Rourke embarked on the scheme to fund his raging ice addiction.
She said her client had taken significant steps to address his problems since being granted bail last year, including several months in drug rehabilitation.
“He is a completely different person,” Ms Fox said.
Office of Public Prosecutions solicitor Georgia McMaster argued the crimes warranted a further jail term that included a non-parole period. But magistrate Franz Holzer said such a sentence would be disproportionate and excessive.
Mr Holzer said while the offending was highly sophisticated, it needed to be put into the context of O’Rourke’s drug use.
O’Rourke was sentenced to 67 days’ imprisonment — recorded as time served — and put on a two-year community correction order. He must complete 250 hours of unpaid community work and receive drug treatment.
“You’re still a young man,” Mr Holzer told O’Rourke.
“This is a real blotch on your record … It’s up to you to show this was an aberration.”
O’Rourke will return to court in August for judicial monitoring.