A Filipino bookkeeper working in the Sydney office of a luxury cruise company has been accused of stealing AU$3.5 million (PHP127.755 million) from her employer, various media reported yesterday.
Mary Ann Abellanoza, a 53-year-old Filipino immigrant, has been charged with committing 98 counts of fraud against her former employer Silversea Cruises, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Mary Ann started working as a branch accounting supervisor in 2014. That’s when she allegedly started to transfer the company’s money to several bank accounts she owned. The money she stole amounted to AU$3.5 million (PHP127.755 million).
Her supervisor became suspicious in February last year when she offered to reimburse the company after she allegedly became a victim of an online scam.
Her boss thought it was an odd offer to make because he believed that Mary Ann did not do anything wrong, reported Stuff. Her boss became even more suspicious when he learned that someone saw Mary Ann allegedly placing large amounts of documents into the office shredder before she resigned from her post in April last year.
An accountant uncovered the alleged fraud.
Mary Ann is facing two cases: a criminal charge brought to the Downing Centre Local Court and a civil case at the New South Wales Supreme Court. The civil case was filed by Silversea Cruises against Mary Ann and her husband, Perven Abellanoza, so that the company could recover the funds which were allegedly stolen from them, reported Travel Agent Central.
However, Silversea could possibly get back just AU$2,000 (US$73,063) from the couple after Perven convinced the judge that he had no knowledge of the fraud that his wife allegedly committed. Perven said he believed that the AU$811,565 (PHP29.648 million) he received from Mary Ann was a result of her gambling habit, and came from “pure luck.” Silversea could still file an appeal.
Mary Ann reportedly received a salary of AU$88,000 (US$61,923.07) per year from Silversea and was also given a free voyage each year in one of the company’s posh ships.
Her criminal trial will resume on May 23.
