A Romanian man has been sentenced to prison for his role in a global fraud syndicate that targeted elderly shoppers across New South Wales. Vasile Bombonel, 38, pleaded guilty to 25 offences related to 13 victims aged between 55 and 90 at shopping centres in Sydney, the Illawarra, South Coast, Southern Highlands, and the Mid North Coast between March 3 and March 23.
Court documents revealed Bombonel was part of a transnational fraud operation, though little is known about his international associates, who are subject to arrest warrants worldwide. Bombonel, who was in Australia illegally, used distraction techniques to steal bank cards from elderly shoppers at supermarkets or near ATMs.
In one incident, Bombonel's associate distracted a 75-year-old woman at the Corrimal Coles car park while Bombonel stole her bank card from her car. He then made four ATM withdrawals totalling $764. In another case, Bombonel nudged a 73-year-old woman at a Fairy Meadow supermarket, causing her handbag to fall, and later stole her card, resulting in $1,550 in withdrawals.
Bombonel also approached a 78-year-old woman at Coles in Vincentia, claiming she had dropped money, and discreetly stole her bank card. The card was used to purchase $1,744 worth of items and withdraw $1,400 from an ATM. In total, Bombonel stole $27,493 from his victims before flying to Queensland.
Investigators tracked Bombonel through CCTV footage, mobile phone records, travel records, and vehicle identification. He appeared in court via video link from Cessnock jail, with a Romanian interpreter. Local Court Judge Michael Love sentenced him to three years and four months in prison, with a non-parole period of two years and six months.
