An Australian woman was sentenced today to four years in prison for stealing $3.5 Australian dollars (US$2.75 million) to fund her gambling addiction. The casino that allowed her to gamble despite her addiction was reprimanded by the judge.
Victoria county judge Roland Williams made the comments on Thursday as he sentenced mother of two Kate Leanne Jamieson to a minimum four years in jail for stealing from Bendigo Bank, where she had worked as a loans officer.
Between 2001 and 2004 she had made around 4,000 transactions and shifted $22 million Australian dollars and her suspected losses and total net theft was $3.5 million Australian dollars.
The 39-years-old Jamieson was given VIP treatment by the Crown Casino in Melbourne. She received tickets to the Grand Prix and Australian Tennis Open, as well as limousine rides, free meals and entry to the casino's exclusive Mahogany Room.
According to Judge Williams, the casino had awarded her with luxury prizes and encouraged her to continue gambling without questioning how she could afford to lose so much and provided her no counseling.
Jamieson pleaded guilty to 23 counts of theft and 13 counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception.
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