ALECOMM

A Sydney woman who embezzled almost $180,000 from a government service for people with disabilities has been sentenced to 19 months home detention.

Caroline Portolesi, 38, was the Maroubra branch manager of the NSW Department of Family and Community Services (FACS).

Her role was to organise and pay for services such as cleaning and home care for people with disabilities.

Portolesi used a stolen identity to set up a fraudulent business, Esay Cleaning Services. She then used that business to invoice FACS for work that was never actually done.

In December 2015, Portolesi pleaded guilty to obtaining financial advantage by deception.

Portolesi told police she stole from her employer because she had a gambling addiction.

In deciding against imprisonment in a corrections facility, Magistrate Lisa Stapleton accepted submissions relating to Portolesi's gambling addictions and complex mental health issues.

She will serve 19 months in home detention, pending a home detention assessment.

The Department of Family and Community Services said they were "undertaking a forensic review" of their systems.

A quadriplegic client of Portolesi, Peter Zipfinger said: "I think it is one of the lowest acts there is, to be stealing yours and my money from a sector that needs it most."

Another quadriplegic client, Greg Killeen, said his anger over Portolesi's crime was compounded by personal experience.

"I received an email from Caroline a week before I was due to go to Canberra. To tell me that she was unable to organise a care worker to assist me to attend the National Disability Awards," he said.

Mr Killeen was invited to Canberra to receive an award for advocating for people with disabilities. But without a carer, a service he was eligible for, he could not attend.

He said Ms Portolesi was well aware of this fact, even while she was stealing from the office.

"Which is quite outrageous" Mr Killeen said.

Portolesi declined to speak to the ABC. However, she told police she committed her crime to feed a gambling addiction.

She said in 2006 she suffered a severe back injury and was unable to work.

Portolesi began to gamble at a local club and became addicted.

Within one year she had lost more than $200,000 — money she had received as a compensation payout for her injury.

With nothing left, she said she saw stealing from work as "an opportunity" to continue gambling.

Source : https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-10/gambling-addict-jailed-for-embezzling-government-funds/7154504