Victims erupt in fury after jet-setting conwoman who rorted a charity and splurged on designer clothes was handed a ‘joke’ of a jail sentence

A whistleblower who helped derail a charity fraudster has labelled her ‘soft’ jail sentence as a ‘f—ing joke’.  

Angela Stathopoulos, 49, will spend only six months behind bars, despite admitting conning a charity for underprivileged kids and the homeless out of $531,111.

Melbourne County Court was told that Stathopoulos paraded her luxury family holidays – paid for by the stolen money – on Instagram.

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

At the time, Stathopoulos was the highly-paid boss of the inner-east Melbourne charity – which survived on a shoestring budget – while she siphoned off the cash between May 2011 and March 2022.

The court heard Stathopoulos was on a six-figure salary with a $20,000 annual fuel allowance, and spent $155,274 on lavish trips, including several first-class jaunts to the US.

A whistleblower contacted by the Daily Mail Australia expressed their dismay after Wednesday’s sentencing.

‘I heard, it’s disappointing, it’s disappointing, I can’t believe it, six months, for everything she stole and the pain she caused,’ they said. 

Holiday snaps feature Angela Stathopoulos and her children living it up at premium locations including Disneyland. There is no suggestion that Stathopoulos’s family or any other third person was involved in any wrongdoing

Stathopoulos arrived at last month’s court appearance dressed casually before she was remanded in custody

Stathopoulos also took her family on an expensive holiday to Hawaii. There is no suggestion that Stathopoulos’s family or any other third person was involved in any wrongdoing.

‘It’s soft, actually, it’s a f—ing joke, she’s apiece of work.’ 

Stathopoulos, who was jailed after pleading guilty to theft, proudly displayed her illegally-funded holidays in a series of Instagram postcards featuring happy snaps from the exotic locations.

The holiday pics feature Stathopoulos and her husband and children living it up on premium trips to Disneyland, New York, Universal Studios and Hawaii.

There is no suggestion that Stathopoulos’s family or any other third person was involved in any wrongdoing.

Stathopoulos also bragged about her trips and showed off the photos to the hardworking, honest staff at the not-for-profit charity.

The court heard she went on the luxury jaunts as charity staff back in Melbourne struggled to make ends meet and crucial programs were cancelled.

Stathopoulos appeared in court last month dressed casually compared to her usual designer vintage outfits which she showcased online.

The court was told that she had repaid the entire amount in a last-ditch bid to avoid jail, but the judge questioned how she managed to pay back the cash.

Judge Gavan Meredith wanted to know where the cash had come from, after previously hearing Stathopoulos had spent the proceeds on travel and designer gear.

Stathopoulos described the Universal Studios VIP Experience Tour was ‘amazing’.

Stathopoulos also spent vast amounts on jewellery, school books, excursions and activities

Stathopoulos bought herself vintage designer clothes and accessories and splashed out on beauty and styling

‘Can I enquire how the money was repaid?’ Judge Meredith said. 

‘Most people don’t have 530-odd thousand of savings available.’

Defence barrister Joshua Sheppard said Stathopoulos had used her family’s savings but later added that she had also sold a property which was gifted to her by in-laws.

The court had earlier been told Stathopoulos paraded her luxury family holidays on Instagram which were paid for by the stolen money.

The court heard Stathopoulos, who sobbed as she pleaded guilty at last month’s plea hearing, took 10 separate overseas holidays between August 2011 and May 2019, illegally paid for by charity funds.

In one single transaction, Stathopoulos paid $29,040 for 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 deluxe accommodation including a seven night stay at the Westin Hotel Times Square New York City and the Sheraton Music City Hall in Nashville.

During another holiday, Stathopoulos spent 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 five-star hotels at Beverly Hills, San Diego and the Grand Hyatt San Francisco in 2017.

Stathopoulos also lavished the stolen cash on airport transfers, hire cars, premium rail tickets and other travel expenses.

Stathopoulos  and her kids also visited Harry Potter World using stolen money

Back home in Melbourne, Stathopoulos spent more than $6000 on a Harry Styles and Miley Cyrus concerts

Stathopoulos spent big at the Big Apple New York City

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

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 brandished a vintage PELLE di GIADA Croco Italian black patent purse at an earlier court appearance, also spent vast amounts on jewellery for her kids and school books, excursions and activities.

She also paid top money for dancing lessons for her daughter, bought herself vintage designer clothes and accessories and splashed out on beauty and styling, personal fitness and Netflix.

Stathopoulos, who lives in a $1.7million house in Murrumbeena in Melbourne’s south-east, funnelled money onto untraceable Load & Go cards and bought luxury accessories via PayPal.

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

Her crime spree finally ground to a halt when a new board took over in 2020, headed by Neil Pharaoh.

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

Stathopoulos, who later worked as a teacher and a manager at a South Yarra vintage clothing store, eventually admitted to her offending.

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

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

Stathopoulos was on a huge six-figure salary and spent $155,274 she stole on lavish trips including several first-class jaunts to the US

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

The court heard the charity, which has since changed its 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’.

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

The previously public posts, obtained by the Daily Mail Australia before they were made private, showed Stathopoulos poolside at the Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort Honolulu and Vegas hotel The Bellagio.

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

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

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

Her last court hearing was adjourned until Wednesday for a psychologist’s report which found she was ‘addicted to stealing money’.

‘It was a pattern of behaviour, (she was) covering her tracks,’ Dr Carla Lechner said in her report.

Dr Lechner also said Stathopoulos has a ‘lot of cognitive dissidence’ who believed she was ‘an honest and good person’ but also ‘knew it was dishonest’.

‘(Stathopoulos wanted) to feel better about herself and positively present herself to others,’ Dr Lechner said.

Stathopoulos (pictured at a previous court appearance) will only spend six months behind bars

Stathopoulos also boasted about her trips on Instagram

‘(She was) filling a hole of emotional deprivation, she had the means to do this legally, and could’ve got the same satisfaction.’

Stathopoulos’ barrister said his client ‘poured her heart and soul’ into the charity and is ‘deeply sorry about the negative consequences’.

‘She feels deep and genuine regret and she hates herself for what she has done,’ Mr Sheppard said.

Mr Sheppard also compared his client to Dylan DiPierdomenico, the disgraced fraudster son of AFL legend Robert DiPierdomenico, who was handed a nine-month jail term in January for stealing $140,717 from a family-run Melbourne business.

Judge Meredith said Stathopoulos’ ‘breach of significant trust ‘was committed against an institution that could ill-afford the losses’.

‘(It was) persistent calculated offending revealing an egregious breach of trust,’ he said.

Stathopoulos, who has a prior conviction for theft, was jailed for three years but 30 months of the sentence was suspended.

She will be freed in October. 

***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk