A Ballarat woman defrauded thousands of dollars from the COVID-19 test isolation payment scheme to fund her drug habit, a court has heard.
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Carly Moon-Pitchford pleaded guilty to charges of obtaining financial gain through deception at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.
The charges related to a three month period in 2020 when Moon-Pitchford falsely claimed $4500 under the casual worker support scheme.
The COVID-19 test isolation payment program was started during the 2020 COVID lockdowns as a way to compensate workers without access to sick leave required to self-isolate for the purposes of waiting for a COVID test.
Applicants were required to apply for the scheme online, and provide a proof of employment and identification.
From August 27, 2020 to September 22, 2020, Moon-Pitchford falsely claimed the payment ten times, depositing the money into her partner's bank account.
For several of the transactions, Moon-Pitchford used the identity of other people, such as her partner, her partner's child and her cousin.
In five of the applications, Moon-Pitchford falsely claimed she had to self-isolate from working at the Moe McDonalds, sending a screenshot of the store's location on a map for "proof of employment" and using a proof of age card for identification.
The Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions conducted an investigation into the transactions after anomalies were detected in the documents. The department found Moon-Pitchford had been falsified documents pertaining to false COVID tests and reported the matter to the police.
She was arrested on February 2, 2023, and made full admissions in an interview.
She told police she was remorseful for the fraud offending, and was using the money to fund a drug habit at the time .
"I realise now that I probably took money off people that actually needed it," she told police in an interview.
The court heard Moon-Pitchford was already on a community corrections order prior to Tuesday's hearing and had been completing community work in Ballarat.
Since 2020, she had stopped using drugs and taken steps towards rehabilitation.
Magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz said the offending had taken advantage of taxpayers, and those who required financial assistance throughout the lockdowns.
"This was at a time in the community where everyone was affected by having to self-isolate, for 14 days, and there were those who were not entitled to sick leave. That is why that benefit was introduced," Ms Mykytowcz said.
"She has really taken advantage of that. She has cost the community and cost the government."
The magistrate said a prison sentence would be considered, but for Moon-Pitchford's steps towards rehabilitation, which prison time could potentially disrupt.
"I have got to send a message to the community to denounce this type of offending," Ms Mykytowycz said.
"We take the fraudulent obtaining of funds from the government very seriously, and it must be denounced.
"Every single taxpayer is paying for your offending."
Moon-Pitchford was fined $750 and sentenced to a 12 month community corrections order with 100 hours of community work.
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