Kaye Leanne Ferguson appeared at the Albury District Court on Tuesday, June 14 after pleading guilty to three sequences of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.
The 59-year-old made multiple transfers from the club’s bank accounts to offshore accounts that she controlled between December 2020 to January 2021.
In NSW, courts can impose Intensive Correction Orders (ICOs) to serve in the community as an alternative to full time imprisonment.
Ms Ferguson originally faced Corowa Local Court on March 17, 2021, before the case was adjourned in the Albury District Court a number of times.
In her pre-sentencing statement, it is reported that Ms Ferguson told the court that she had met two men on an online dating site with one telling her he needed money after being involved in an accident and needed assistance. She alleges the man had insisted he would pay her back but there is no evidence of an accident at all. Having exhausted all personal funds, she took the club’s money on 27 occasions.
After detecting alleged accounting anomalies, the club reported the matter to police and the Murray River Police District commenced an investigation.
Judge Sean Grant sympathised with Ms Ferguson who fell victim to the scam.
Mulwala Water Ski Club CEO Peter Duncan attended both sentencing hearings and said although disappointed, there is no animosity.
“Internally we are disappointed in the overall outcome and it taking 18 months to reach this conviction,” Mr Duncan said.
“We accept the decision and there is no animosity.
“Our objective is to still pursue where the money has gone with the help of our solicitors and to try to recover what we can.
“As unfortunate as this incident is, our main focus is and always has been to improve the club and this year we are looking to record another great result for members.
“This financial year we will have invested a further $3.5 million on capital improvements on the club.”