Jetsetting conwoman’s Instagram postcards from her breathtaking world tour – funded by a half-million haul she stole from a children’s charity

A devious Aussie mum brazenly showed off her indulgent and luxurious family holidays on Instagram which were paid for by money stolen from a needy charity.

Thief Angela Stathopoulos fronted a Melbourne court on Thursday where she pleaded guilty to stealing more than half-a-million from a charity which aided underprivileged kids and fed the homeless.

The court heard Stathopoulos ‘acted like the charity’s money was hers to spend’ while she drained the Prahran Community Learning Centre dry.

Stathopoulos, 49, was the highly paid boss of the inner east charity which ran on an oily rag while she stole $531,111 between May 2011 and March 2022.

The greedy grifter, who was on a huge six-figure salary with a $20,000 annual fuel allowance, spent $155,274 on lavish trips including multiple first-class jaunts to the US.

In a callous knife to the ribs, Stathopoulos proudly displayed her ill-gotten holidays with a series of Instagram happy snap postcards.

The holiday snaps feature Stathopoulos and her husband and children living it up at premium locations including Disneyland, NYC, Universal Studios and Hawaii. 

Stathopoulos, who appeared at court dressed down compared to her usual designer vintage and fur drip, also showed off the photos to hardworking and honest staff at the not-for-profit charity. 

Angela Stathopoulos (pictured) appeared at court dressed down in an attempt to conceal her identity

The holiday snaps feature Stathopoulos and her children living it up at premium locations including Disneyland

Stathopoulos also spent big in the Big Apple NYC

The overt display was perpetrated while charity staff back in Melbourne struggled to make ends meet and crucial programs were being cancelled.

The court heard Stathopoulos, who sobbed while she blabbered out her guilty pleas at today’s hearing, took 10 separate overseas holidays between August 2011 and May 2019 paid for by illegally obtained charity funds.

In a single breathtaking transaction, Stathopoulos dropped $29,040 on flights for a Melbourne to Los Angeles return via New York and Nashville trip for her and her family in 2015.

Stathopoulos spared no expense as she laid down for luxe accommodation including a seven-night stay at the Westin Hotel Times Square New York City and the Sheraton Music City Hall Nashville.

During another outrageous holiday, Stathopoulos burned almost $30,000 on a US trip where the jetsetters stayed at Disneyland Anaheim.

Stathopoulos and her family also visited LEGOLAND California and stayed at 5-star hotels at Beverly Hills, San Diego and the Grand Hyatt San Francisco in 2017.

Public transport during these overseas jaunt was not required as Stathopoulos blew cash on airport transfers, hire cars, premium rail tickets and other travel expenses.

Back home and Stathopoulos dropped more than $6000 on a Harry Styles and Miley Cyrus concerts, a Wizard of Oz stage show and WWE Live events.

Stathopoulos appeared at court dressed down compared to her usual designer vintage and fur drip

Stathopoulos and her family poolside at Hawaii

The remorseless Stathopoulos hid her thefts as ‘legitimate business expenses’ but the court heard it was estimated only 12-18 percent of funds were actually spent on the charity.

Stathopoulos, who today brandished a vintage PELLE di GIADA Croco Italian black patent purse, spent big on jewellery for her kids and school books, excursions and activities.

The grifter mum also paid top money for dancing lessons for her daughter, bought herself vintage designer clothes and accessories and coughed up for beauty and styling, personal fitness and Netflix.

Stathopoulos, who lives in a house in Murrumbeena in Melbourne’s southeast estimated to be worth more than $1.7 million, also funnelled money onto ‘untraceable’ Load & Go cards and bought luxury accessories via PayPal.

The disgraced boss also burned $32,575 on unauthorised fuel cards despite having a $20,000 per year vehicle allowance as part of her employment contract.

Stathopoulos boasted about visiting Times Square NYC

An investigation spearheaded by charity staff Shima Ubuki (left), Tara Blanchy (middle) and Maggie Burke (right

Stathopoulos unabated criminality took a huge hammer blow when a new board headed by Neil Pharaoh took over in 2020.

Mr Pharaoh initiated an investigation spearheaded by charity staff Maggie Burke, Tara Blanchy and Shima Ubuki.

The court heard the women worked tirelessly day and night digging up dirt on Stathopoulos who had been ‘slow and resistant’ during the investigation.

Stathopoulos also stifled attempts to end her reign with gaslighting, ‘physical aggression’ and even locking Ms Burke out of the centre.

In the end, a forensic accounting investigation was launched and Stathopoulos was stood down, sacked and then handed to police.

Stathopoulos scampers from court while her hunters watch her go in the background 

Stathopoulos also visited China

The fraudster, who later worked as a teacher and a manger at a South Yarra vintage clothing store, eventually copped to her offending.

 ‘I’ve always had a problem with this sort of thing,’ she told investigators.

‘Some people turn to alcohol and drugs but this is my problem.’ 

The court heard the charity, which has since changed it’s name, suffered repercussions beyond financial loss including severe reputational damage.

The federal Government also withheld funds and Stonnington Council now defers any PCLC funding decisions to its lawyers.

Programs and classes were also disrupted and the charity is now ‘viewed as a high-risk grant applicant’.

Ms Burke, who had to postpone urgent spinal surgery to investigate Stathopoulos, told the court the crook ‘acted like the charity’s money was her own’.

‘(The money she stole) could’ve changed the lives of disadvantaged youths,’ she said.

Ms Blanchy said she lost a lot of sleep over Stathopoulos’ ‘nefarious activities’ and feared the fraudster’s ‘ill-gotten wealth’ would buy her way out of jail.  

Stathopoulos locked down her socials after her crimes were exposed in the media last year.

The formerly public posts obtained by the Daily Mail Australia before they went private depicted Stathopoulos poolside at the Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort Honolulu and Vegas hotel The Bellagio.

Stathopoulos used stolen money to pay for five-star accommodation in Hawaii

Stathopoulos also posted pics of herself at the ‘VIP Ultimate Prince Experience’.

Stathopoulos also posted boasts about visiting pop star Prince’s ‘Paisley Park’ residence multiple times and how the Universal Studios VIP Experience Tour was ‘amazing’.

The mum of two also posted pics of her and the fam at a School of Rock show, the Melbourne Grand Prix and the ‘VIP Ultimate Prince Experience’.

Stathopoulos also posed for media ops supporting charities including the Feed Melbourne Appeal during her time as charity boss.

Judge Gavan Meredith lashed the defence for causing today’s hearing to be adjourned prematurely.

‘I’m not happy about it,’ he said.

Stathopoulos had her bail extended until sentencing on April 8 when she has been warned she will be thrown in jail. 

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