A Melbourne man accused of selling more than $200,000 worth of equipment he didn't own after his fledging business dived is now facing up to 10 years in prison.
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Bronson Interlandi, a founding director of the failed vending machine supplier The Lean Aussie Machine Pty Ltd, pleaded guilty in February to one charge of obtaining financial advantage by deception.
The young father allegedly sold 29 vending machines - worth a total of $201,500 - to a Melbourne company in 2016 despite the fact his business had used banks and financial services companies to lease the equipment.
Interlandi, who claims to be 32 while his lawyer John Kelly says he is 33, faced Judge Wendy Wilmoth at the County Court of Victoria via video link on Monday.
The court heard his business, which sold healthy snacks in vending machines, was incorporated in 2013 but hit financial difficulty within two years.
Interlandi was left as the sole director of The Lean Aussie Machine in 2016 after his two partners walked away, with the company placed into liquidation later that year.
Crown prosecutor Robert Barry said the Hawthorn East man indicated to the other vending machine company that he owned the equipment outright and never said it was leased.
Mr Barry said the group of financial companies which serviced Interlandi suffered losses of more than $99,000 and that the accused faces up to 10 years in prison.
The court heard Interlandi, a former plumber now in custody at Fulham Correctional Centre over unrelated matters, had no business background and sometimes worked 18-hour days in an attempt to kick-start his company.
"What (Interlandi) did, he did with absolute desperation in a misguided and fairly naive attempt to save the business," Mr Kelly said.
"Interlandi was utterly genuine, sincere and committed to the success of this business."
Mr Kelly told the court the accused had attempted to offload the machines, invest the money acquired, and then recoup the investments made by him and his parents before paying off creditors and making good on the company's losses.
"But that never happened," he said.
Mr Kelly said Interlandi felt "betrayed" by the early exit of his former business partners and had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder following the collapse of his company.
Judge Wilmoth adjourned the matter until November 5.
Australian Associated Press
