A man from Victoria has been charged after allegedly deceiving his family into believing he was suffering from cancer, which led them to provide him with over $1 million. According to police, the scheme commenced when he used proceeds from the sale of the family home in Alfredton, near Ballarat, without informing his partner.
To mask the disappearance of these funds, he purportedly claimed he had invested the money, promising a future payout of $2 million. When this payout did not materialise, he concocted a story about being diagnosed with cancer and falling victim to a scam.
The accused reportedly created fake email accounts and impersonated two lawyers to corroborate his fraudulent claims. This manipulation resulted in the family being misled into giving him an additional $1.2 million.
In another instance of deceit, detectives allege that he used a forged document to secure a new car valued at $69,830 from a dealership in Horsham. The 30-year-old man from Western Australia was arrested in Ararat on July 8, 2024.
Following an extensive investigation, he faces 28 charges, including 20 counts of property deception and 13 counts of producing false documents. He is scheduled to appear in the Horsham Magistrates’ Court on June 25.