A long-time employee of the Calamvale Hotel in Brisbane has been convicted and sentenced over embezzlement of nearly $100k from the business.
Simon Te Mahia Phoenix Aramoana, 26, of Marsden, was originally employed as a security guard at the pub. Over time his role was expanded to also include general maintenance jobs.
He appeared this week before Brisbane District Court, charged with two counts of fraud as an employee, to which he pleaded guilty.
The victim was the Calamvale Hotel, operated by McGuire’s Hotels, which had Aramoana on staff for seven years. The fraudulent activity was said to have occurred between September 2015 and January 2020.
What took place was him using one of the business’ computers to generate a total of 286 false invoices, detailing his own bank details as where the money was to be paid. These resulted in $94,285.20 being deposited into his account.
Interviewed by police, the married father-of-three admitted to having a gambling problem and “thought he could get away with” stealing the money – most of which is believed to have gone to his habit, the court heard.
Aramoana is not an Australian citizen, and is likely to face deportation after his sentence.
He was sentenced by Judge Katherine McGinness to four years, which will be suspended for four years after eight months served.
