An online scammer who pocketed more than $25,000 by selling AFL fans fake grand final tickets has been spared a conviction.
James Bambino, 24, pleaded guilty at Heidelberg Magistrates Court to one count of knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime and 36 counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception.
The charges related to a total 37 victims, who bought almost 70 fake grand final tickets from Bambino just days ahead of the match between the Geelong Cats and Sydney Swans.
Bambino himself bought one ticket to the AFL grand final on September 18, which he attended, before going on to advertise the fake tickets on Twitter, Instagram and Gumtree.
He sold the fake tickets between September 18 and 24, later coming up with a range of excuses as to why he couldn't cough them up.
Magistrate Jennifer Tregent said he borrowed money from a friend to buy his ticket and set up the ruse.
Bambino poured almost $22,000 of the money from the false ticket sales into gambling platforms as he contended with a gambling addiction.
“It's cruel, because you've taken advantage of people's expectations,” Ms Tregent said on Thurdsay.
Sheona Williams sent Bambino $900 for grand final tickets for her mother-in-law and husband, only for Bambino to claim he never received the money.
Family friend Peter Knight then transferred Bambino another $900 in an attempt to secure the tickets.
"They'd both never been to a footy grand final before and (the Sydney Swans was) their favourite team," Ms Williams said outside court.
"It was a lot of money but it was my husband's 50th that month and ... (he wanted to) treat his mum as well, (as) a special day out for them."
Bambino continued to lie in the days and weeks that followed, leaving Mr Knight feeling manipulated.
"It's not a nice feeling, being ripped off and taken for a ride," Mr Knight said.
The court was told Bambino paid back his victims with the exception of $350 but Ms Williams and Mr Knight said they were yet to get their money back.
The 24-year-old's "harebrained" scheme was doomed for detection given he did not hide his identity, his lawyer told the court on Thursday.
“He's a young fella and he's lost everything due to his stupidity: work, friends, self-esteem, reputation - a lot over this period of time," the lawyer said.
Bambino was remorseful for his behaviour and was going through a personal crisis when he sold the fake tickets, the court was told.
He has not gambled since October last year and had depression, anxiety and ADHD, his lawyer said.
The lawyer said Bambino and his family had been subjected to disgusting and potentially criminal abuse on social media following his offending, as well as media attention.
Ms Tregent sentenced Bambino to a 12-month corrections order and ordered him to complete 250 hours of unpaid community work.
The magistrate spared Bambino a conviction on account of his age, early guilty plea and lack of criminal history.
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