Mother is sentenced to four years in jail after stealing $1.2 million ‘to gamble with her sons’ 

High-roller mother is sentenced to four years in jail after stealing more than $1.2 million from her employee ‘to gamble at the casino with her sons’

  • The shocking theft of $1.2 million has landed a Melbourne mum in jail
  • The white-collar crime saw almost 400 fraudulent transactions over 9 years 
  • Most of the cash was spent on gambling sprees with her sons at Crown Casino

The unscrupulous transactions of a woman who stole more than $1.2 million from her employer to go gambling with her sons, prove mother doesn’t always know best.

The greedy dealings of Debby Ragkeb, 55, have landed her in jail, after the Melbourne woman pleaded guilty to 10 charges of obtaining property by deception. 

The crimes took place over almost a decade, while Ragkeb worked as a bookkeeper for Oakleigh South real estate signage company Printco between 2007 and 2016.

Among the illegal exchanges totalling $1,264,453.30, were almost 400 unauthorised transactions, spurious invoices and regular fraudulent bank transfers.

Ragkeb’s life of luxury started to unravel in July 2016, when Printco engaged a professional financier, Darren Scotti, to audit their accounts

The cash was used to fund Ragkeb’s lavish lifestyle, which revolved around fine dining, online shopping and gambling with her sons at the Crown Casino. 

Ragkeb’s life of luxury started to unravel in July 2016, when Printco engaged a professional financier, Darren Scotti, to audit their accounts, review company processes and make recommendations for improvement.

As a result of his findings, Ragkeb’s conduct was revealed and reported to the police, with her contract of employment terminated soon after. 

The presiding judge, Howard Mason, deemed Ragkeb’s offences a serious breach of trust, however a number of mitigating factors were taken into consideration when handing down his sentence of 6 years’ imprisonment, 4 years’ non-parole period. 

These included: no prior criminal history; an absence of financial assistance from her ex husband and a letter of apology written to Printco as proof of remorse. 

The crimes took place over almost a decade, while Ragkeb worked as a bookkeeper for Oakleigh South real estate signage company Printco between 2007 and 2016.

The crimes took place over almost a decade, while Ragkeb worked as a bookkeeper for Oakleigh South real estate signage company Printco between 2007 and 2016.

 

  

 

 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk