A real estate agent who tried to blackmail one of Australia's biggest banks into paying a $25,000 ransom for reams of confidential documents it left behind in a defunct branch narrowly avoids jail.
A real estate agent who tried to blackmail one of Australia's biggest banks into paying a $25,000 ransom for reams of confidential documents it left behind in a defunct branch has narrowly avoided jail.In many of the emails he sent to ANZ demanding money, the 42-year-old signed his full nameScott Burgess, 42, was instead placed on a two-year community corrections order over the scam, which Victorian County Court Judge Gerard Mullaly said was naive.
But Ms Minakami became alarmed when Burgess began demanding money, telling her that sacks full of personal documents, which were meant to be destroyed, had been left behind in the move. Victorian County Court Judge Gerard Mullaly said even though Burgess was ashamed his offending was "still serious". According to court documents, Burgess told Mr McGowan and Ms Banks that he came up with the $25,000 figure after talking to a friend who told him that "less than 80 [the ANZ] won't bite".
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