FourFour2 An Egyptian man who paid for a fake Syrian refugee to move into his home was convicted of conspiracy and paid more than $30,000 in bail.
A court in Melbourne was told the Syrian refugee bought a two-bedroom apartment in Melbourne’s inner north-west for $1.5 million.
The court heard he told the family he had relatives in Turkey who would be waiting for him and he could travel to Australia to apply for asylum.
He then told his parents he was travelling to Turkey with the intention of moving in with his parents.
But when they arrived in Melbourne, the family found out they were being duped and he was arrested.
The court heard the Syrian had been living in the home since September 2016 and lived in a one-bedroom unit with his wife and children.
He had paid for the house with his own money, and the couple were told they could move in, court heard.
They were told the house was under construction and that the new owner was moving in and that his new partner was staying in the same apartment as him, the court was told.
Police had been called and contacted by the woman who was told she had been duped, court was shown.
Her partner told police he was aware the Syrian was living in his apartment, and they were told he was on a plane to Australia.
The trial heard the woman had a criminal history and was on bail.
A judge told the man he was guilty of committing a crime and that he could face a minimum of five years’ jail.
Judge Michael Pappas told the court the couple had spent $10,000 each on the apartment.
He said it was difficult to believe they had been deceived, but they had not consented to the deception.
After the trial, the woman told the ABC she did not believe the woman would be able to come forward because she feared reprisals.
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