Australia – Qld: The fraud team is investigating a former attempt by lawyer P & C’s president

On November 5, Nerise Moore, director of P&C at Helensvale State High School, was barred by the Supreme Court from directing law.

Judge Martin Burns said his behavior represents “persistent and brazen fraud against consumers of legal services” in Queensland. At hearings last month, the court heard that $ 433,690 of customers ’money had been lost from Moore’s credit account. former law firm of Stenton & Moore.

It had been operating in Mudgeeraba since 2014. A total of 42 customers, including elderly Gold Coasters, were left out of their pockets after the Compensation Fund paid them 65 per cent of their debt. Police say its Financial and Cyber ??Crime Group – known colloquially as a fraud group – is investigating lost funds. Moore has not been charged with missing funds.

The bulletin tried to contact Ms Moore for comments but received no response. Although Ms. Moore did not have legal qualifications, the court heard that from the beginning of 2014, she “provided legal advice to any number of clients while practicing as a qualified solicitor” and continued the business when solicitor Graham Stenton left the firm in 2018.

The court heard that Ms. Moore attempted two “fraudulent” attempts to appoint someone as the company’s attorney-at-law before the Queensland Law Society noticed it had no lawyers on its accounts and appointed executors on February 7, 2019. On March 8 of that year, the Supreme Court banned Moore from practicing law or practicing as a qualified professional.

On the same day, on social media, Helensvale State High School said Ms Moore’s “law firm” had sponsored an international Women’s Day event at the school. , the message was read. “Proudly sponsored by Ms. Nerise Moore and her law firm in conjunction with P&C.” Other posts on the school’s Facebook page – published before the collapse of his company – depict Moore with well-known politicians, including former prime minister Tony Abbott and the federal government. Ministers Stuart Robert and Karen Andrews. There is no indication that any of them were aware of any abuse.

There is also no reference to abuse in school P&C. A Ministry of Education spokesman told Bulletin that its finances were audited “independently” each year and the reports “had not highlighted any problems”. On April 22 last year, Moore pleaded guilty to lawful acts even though he was not an Australian lawyer. carrier. He was fined $ 5,000 and the verdict was not recorded.

In recent months, Financial and Cyber ??Crime Group searchers have received testimonials from former clients of Moore’s company, including Mudgeeraba’s advisor Glenn Tozer. Tozer told Bulletin Ms. Moore, who had also previously been president of the Mudgeeraba Chamber of Commerce, had not played any role in the Mudgeeraba community after allegations of her former company came to light. As for his role in Helensvale State High School, a Department of Education spokesman said they “could not make any other comments on the issues currently under investigation.” NED-3269 Gold Coast Download Newsletter [email protected] follows Keith Woods