Tennant Creek Australia Post manager jailed for stealing $425,000 through money laundering scheme
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How Australia Post boss and mother of four managed to steal $425,000 from the organization as she prepares to spend the next six months in jail
- Former Australia Post manager Rebecca Liebelt stole $425,000 through fraud
- Liebelt, 37, was the franchisee of the Aust Post Tennant Creek branch in the NT
- She made false deposits into seven bank accounts from March 2019 to May 2021
- Mother of four pleaded guilty and will spend at least six months in prison
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A former Australian Post boss who stole nearly half a million dollars from the organization has been sentenced to six months in prison.
Rebecca Liebelt, 37, pleaded guilty in the Northern Territory Supreme Court earlier this month to stealing cash and obtaining property through fraud.
The mother of four was the franchisee and manager of Australia Post’s branch in Tennant Creek, five hours north of Alice Springs.
Liebelt stole $425,000 by stealing money from the banking system at Australia Post from March 2019 to May 2021 and making false deposits into bank accounts, the court heard.
Former Australia Post franchisee Rebecca Liebelt (pictured right with her husband Greg Liebelt) has been sentenced to six months in prison for stealing $425,000 and laundering it
She spent most of the money she got on family vacations, household items, investments, and bills.
She was charged along with her husband, cattle officer Greg Liebelt.
Mr Liebelt denies have any knowledge of the money stolen with his charges likely to be heard at a Supreme Court trial.
Liebelt’s plan began in March 2019 when she made a false deposit of $2,000 into a joint business account she had with her husband.
A total of 72 fake deposits were made for a total amount of $404,749.95 that the post-franchisee moved through seven personal and business accounts across four different banks.
She funneled some of the money through the post office where she worked to avoid suspicion and disconnected her modem to avoid detection.
The mother of four also stole $21,000 from the cash register at work.
Australia Post security became aware of the financial irregularities and conducted a surprise audit in January 2021.
The NT police then launched an investigation in March of that year after a complaint was filed.
Liebelt was suspended by Australia Post in May and later fired from her position before appearing in court over the charges.
Judge Sonia Brownhill described her surgery as “advanced” when she told the court about Liebelt’s efforts to launder the money, the NT News reported.
“You repeatedly moved the stolen money and took out money from ATMs in Tennant Creek, breaking the $2,000 limits,” Judge Brownhill told the court.
Liebelt was the franchisee and manager of Australia Post’s Tennant Creek facility (pictured). She laundered some of the $425,000 she stole here
Justice Brownhill said ‘public trust’ in Australia Post had likely been damaged by Liebelt’s theft and fraudulent activities.
Her former employer was given a default judgment, forcing Liebelt to pay back $86,478.32 on top of the money she stole and the cost of the lease.
Liebelt was sentenced to four years and six months behind bars. However, she will be placed under house arrest after serving six months in prison.
While under house arrest, she must wear a control bracelet and be tested regularly for drugs and alcohol.
If she does not reoffend in the next three years, her sentence will be suspended.