A convicted con artist, Hong Thanh Dang Tran, has been sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to 30 counts of fraud. The 45-year-old, who operated in Brisbane, deceived individuals out of nearly $500,000 by advertising bogus building and renovation services on Facebook from April 2022 until November 2023.
Using multiple aliases and phone numbers, Dang Tran would sometimes resort to using business cards from legitimate builders to appear credible. Over the course of his fraudulent scheme, he pocketed around $452,000 from 30 victims, failing to deliver on any promised work or, in many cases, starting it at all. In an effort to gain the victims’ trust, he even introduced them to his family. When confronted about the lack of progress on projects, he resorted to vague threats to elicit further payments.
The court was told that Dang Tran had made partial repayments amounting to just under $42,000 before he was arrested on November 17, 2023, and he has been in custody since.
During the sentencing hearing, prosecutors urged Judge Tony Moynihan to impose a six-year prison term, a suggestion that Dang Tran’s legal team did not contest. His counsel acknowledged the seriousness of the offences, describing his actions as “calculated and egregious.” Judge Moynihan highlighted that Dang Tran operated without the necessary qualifications or insurance, and that his advertising was misleading. He stated, “You deployed tactics to encourage the complainants to trust you,” ultimately labelling Dang Tran as a “con man.”
Following the sentencing, Dang Tran will have the opportunity for parole on November 16, 2025, taking into account the 544 days he has already spent in pre-sentence custody.