OMEN
04-07-2006, 08:39 AM
A BANK employee has been jailed for 10 years after committing one of the biggest frauds in Queensland history.
Abdul Hannif, 53, from Brisbane, stole $2.3 million from the ANZ Bank to feed a pathological gambling addiction.
Mr Hannif played poker machines at Jupiters Casino on the Gold Coast, losing up to $30,000 at a time.
Mr Hannif pleaded guilty to one count of fraud between January 1, 1999 and April 30, 2004.
District Court Senior Judge Tony Skoien said the fraud was by far the biggest he had dealt with in his 26 years on the bench, and few had surpassed it in the state's legal history.
Mr Hannif was employed as a Trade Relationships Officer with ANZ and would redirect commissions into false loans and then into bank cheques in his own name"It is a sophisticated scheme, and I'm less embarrassed that I don't understand it fully when I learn the bank people didn't fully understand it," Judge Skoien said.
Mr Hannif confessed the fraud to his superiors, who had been unaware there was a problem, in the middle of last year.
Mr Hannif sold his home so he could pay compensation to the bank, amounting to $277,000.
Judge Skoien set a recommendation for early release after two years because of Hannif's cooperation, the time and money saved by his guilty plea, and because he would have few job prospects upon his release.
News.AU
Abdul Hannif, 53, from Brisbane, stole $2.3 million from the ANZ Bank to feed a pathological gambling addiction.
Mr Hannif played poker machines at Jupiters Casino on the Gold Coast, losing up to $30,000 at a time.
Mr Hannif pleaded guilty to one count of fraud between January 1, 1999 and April 30, 2004.
District Court Senior Judge Tony Skoien said the fraud was by far the biggest he had dealt with in his 26 years on the bench, and few had surpassed it in the state's legal history.
Mr Hannif was employed as a Trade Relationships Officer with ANZ and would redirect commissions into false loans and then into bank cheques in his own name"It is a sophisticated scheme, and I'm less embarrassed that I don't understand it fully when I learn the bank people didn't fully understand it," Judge Skoien said.
Mr Hannif confessed the fraud to his superiors, who had been unaware there was a problem, in the middle of last year.
Mr Hannif sold his home so he could pay compensation to the bank, amounting to $277,000.
Judge Skoien set a recommendation for early release after two years because of Hannif's cooperation, the time and money saved by his guilty plea, and because he would have few job prospects upon his release.
News.AU