Damien Luscombe was trusted by some of Australia's most well-known musicians and restaurateurs to oversee their day-to-day accounts and finances.
But for 11 years, Luscombe abused that trust by transferring more than $2 million that should have gone into their bank accounts into his own.
He would either doctor legitimate invoices or create fake ones with the billing bank details changed to his personal Commonwealth Bank account. When one of his employees noticed a suspicious payment in or around October 2022, Luscombe told the worker, "I sorted it mate, I'll fill you in later".But as other suspicious transactions appeared, the worker made a report to White Sky's managing director.
The court was told some of the affected restaurateurs had to sell their businesses and homes to make ends meet while Luscombe pocketed millions.Peking Duk's Adam Hyde and Reuben Styles spoke about the feeling of being "robbed blind" while already struggling because of the COVID-19 pandemic.Wally De Backer, who goes by the stage name Gotye, said Luscombe had caused him a great deal of personal stress.
The 38-year-old had not gambled since October 2022 and was still undergoing treatment for his addiction, including regular sessions with a psychologist.Carr conceded a jail term was the only appropriate sentence but he said Luscombe had genuinely good prospects of rehabilitation once released.
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