A woman with 150 priors for deception offences has been ordered to perform community service after scamming a former family member out of his lifelong currency collection.
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Karen Buovac, 55, has been jailed multiple times for scams and frauds.
During her most recent offending on February 5, 2024, she attended a man's Wodonga home to sell Lego and the victim, who had previously been married to Buovac's cousin, spoke of his coins and banknotes.
The victim put the value at $2 million and Buovac claimed to know a wealthy businessman in Sydney who wanted to buy it.
She gave a fake receipt for a $1 million bank transfer as a deposit and said a further million dollars would be transferred.
The man handed over some of his collection in the belief he had received the money.
The money never arrived and Buovac stopped answering her phone, and later claimed the fake buyer had suffered a heart attack.
The buyer never actually existed.
Buovac stole more coins during a burglary at the man's home on February 17 last year.
The 55-year-old gambling and ice addict sold coins and notes to various buyers in transactions of between $6400 and $900, netting her almost $16,000.
The Wodonga court had previously heard the stolen collection was worth $650,000 but the exact value couldn't be proven.
Earlier this month, prosecutor Andrew Norris noted it was premeditated and protected offending.
"It involved a breach of trust and it involved a soft target," he said.
Buovac has previously scammed her ex-partner and his mother out of $93,960 after claiming she had cancer, and swindled $74,000 from the NAB on another occasion.
"The extent of Ms Buovac's relevant prior history is quite staggering," the prosecutor said.
Magistrate Ian Watkins told the Wodonga court on Wednesday, March 27, her most recent actions were disgraceful.
"Your conduct was appalling, opportunistic and a despicable breach of trust," he said, noting her actions were in line with her "long term dishonest behaviour".
Mr Watkins said Buovac used gambling as a distraction to her traumatic past, but that didn't reduce the seriousness of her offending.
Buovac served 118 days in custody before being bailed.
Mr Watkins ordered she perform 150 hours of unpaid community work over two years, and said the threat of jail would be hanging over her head during the period.
