The wife of former NRL player David Fifita has been jailed for eight months for defrauding Centrelink of almost $50,000 in order to ‘keep up with other WAGs’ – but she could avoid spending even a day behind bars.
Jade Robinson, also known as Jade Fifita, pleaded guilty in June to two counts of receiving financial advantages from a Commonwealth entity totalling $48,500 over almost five years from 2011.
Magistrate Jennifer Price sentenced the mother-of-three to eight months’ imprisonment for each charge, to be served concurrently, with a three-month non-parole period.
The wife (pictured) of former NRL player David Fifita has been jailed for eight months for defrauding Centrelink of almost $50,000
Magistrate Jennifer Price sentenced the mother-of-three to eight months’ imprisonment but she could avoid spending even a day behind bars
However, she could avoid spending even a day behind bars after Justice Price adjourned the matter until January so Robinson, 26, can be assessed for home detention.
‘She felt competition to clothe her children in lovely outfits, buy a new car and keep up with others,’ Justice Price said, according to Nine News.
‘It is not in dispute she was motivated by greed.
‘The desire to maintain an outward appearance of success grounded the offending.’
Jade Fifita , the wife of ex-NRL star David, pleaded guilty to fraudulently taking almost $50,000 in single-parent payments from Centrelink while living with her husband and kids
The 26-year-old lied about her relationship status to Centrelink, telling them she was a single mother renting in Bankstown, west Sydney, with her young children
Robinson was living with her husband and two children during the period, but told Centrelink she was a single mother renting a home in Bankstown, west Sydney.
At the time, Fifita – the twin brother of NSW and Australia star Andrew – was earning $160,000-a-season playing for Cronulla, at the top level in Australia, and also Tonga.
Robinson gave birth to the couple’s third child earlier this year.
The court heard Robinson told a psychologist she fraudently claimed the money because she was sick of ‘living in her husband’s shadow’, the Daily Telegraph reported.
Her solicitor Samar Singh-Panwar said she had been subjected to extreme hate online and had acted out of ‘immaturity’ and ‘feelings of inadequacy.’
Robinson (centre) was flanked by her husband David, holding a baby in a bassinet, as she left court on Tuesday
David Fifita (pictured), who previously played for the Cronulla Sharks in the NRL as well as in France and England, has not been charged
‘Her actions related to her feelings of inadequacy and judgment from others,’ he told the court on Tuesday.
Mr Singh-Panwar said the offences occurred while Robinson was between the ages of 20 and 25, adding ‘what is apparent is her level of immaturity.’
Robinson was flanked by husband as she arrived at court on Friday, shielding her face and ignoring requests from waiting reporters.
The court previously heard she joked with her husband about the fraudulent claims even when she was concerned about their finances.
The pair married in late 2014, but between 2011 and 2016, she reportedly ticked a box on Centrelink forms saying she was ‘never married or lived with a partner’.
During that period, she and her husband even appeared on the NRL Footy Show to discuss their relationship.
Text messages (pictured) discovered on the couple’s phones during a police raid on their home in Sutherland, an hour south of Sydney, revealed they were worried about money
By ticking a box on Centrelink forms saying that said she was ‘never married or lived with a partner’, Mrs Fifita (nee Robinson) raked in $48,507.52
But while the couple portrayed a happy life, it seems that behind closed doors things were different.
Text messages found on their phones during a police raid on the couple’s home in Sutherland, south of Sydney, in May last year revealed they were worried about money.
‘I just transferred $250.00 make it last the day babe. I really thought we had more money than that,’ Robinson wrote in one message.
Fifita replied: ‘That’s heaps babe lol text you soon. Remember you get paid Tuesday x love you were fin (sic).’
When she replied that she gets paid the following week, he responded: ‘No Centrelink lol. Haha.’
Fifita, who currently plays for Wakefield Trinity in the English Super league, has not been charged and there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by him.
Magistrate Jennifer Price sentenced the mother-of-three to eight months’ imprisonment for each charge, to be served concurrently, with a three-month non-parole period