Glamorous model Bianca Kowalczyk is accused of a devastating scam that any Aussie could fall for – with a devious trick allegedly at its heart

A Melbourne model is accused of taking $180,000 from a hapless victim in a devious alleged email scam – and her former boss is breaking his silence.

Bianca Kowalczyk, 32, is desperately trying to pin the blame on her former lover after facing multiple fraud charges.

Kowalczyk appeared before a court in Melbourne on Monday after her allegedly handled $188,070 in suspected proceeds crime.

The feisty Instagram poser is also said to have looted $51,000 worth of US currency and stolen $90,579 worth of gold bullion during the suspected three-day fraud racket in November last year.

Kowalczyk met her co-accused and former flame Harpreet Dhaliwal several months prior to the alleged crime.

Dhaliwal, 31, is behind bars after being slapped with fraud and handling the proceeds of crime charges.

In details aired at an earlier court hearing, police alleged that a suspected pro-grifter crew had ‘hacked’ a carrier’s email trail and changed its bank account details.

The prosecutor alleged that some of the stolen money – from an unnamed victim – was diverted to bank accounts believed to have been opened by Kowalczyk.

Kowalczyk, who has no previous cases before the court, made a statement to police before she was charged on May 30 this year.

“I followed him blindly because I thought he loved me… I trusted him,” Kowalczyk said in her statement to police.

In another shocking move, Kowalczyk could be ‘called as a witness’ to spill the beans about her jailed ex, the court was told.

Lawyers acting on Kowalczyk’s behalf at an earlier hearing argued that Dhaliwal allegedly “used” his then girlfriend to “assist in the deception.”

“We (Kowalczyk) participated purely out of our blind love for the co-accused,” the defense told the court.

‘(Kowalczyk) denies not being present, not opening bank accounts, she doesn’t deny that either…’

Kowalczyk, who is pushing for her case to be heard in a lower court, is said to have been linked to the suspected violation through WhatsApp messages.

“(The WhatsApp messages) had a certain flavor… a level of dishonesty or a conspiratorial flavor,” a magistrate said in September.

The court heard Dhaliwal was ‘really deeply involved’ but he was not the ‘mastermind’.

“It is devastating for the victim…,” the defense said.

‘They got the poor victim professionally…with the help of Dhaliwal in Melbourne, who then enlisted his partner, as she thought, to assist him in what she believed were his legitimate transactions…

‘It’s clear she’s wised up after the event, she knows it, she’s devastated by his betrayal… he used her…

“It would ultimately be up to a fact-finder to determine whether she was criminally responsible or simply naive

“She just thought she was helping the co-defendant and it was all legal transactions because he had deceived her… she did as she was told and believed his lies….”

The prosecution had previously argued that there was a ‘degree of organisation’.

Kowalczyk, whose criminal cases were stayed on Monday, previously worked as a director at exclusive events and modeling agency Media Belle Productions and Events in Sydney.

Media Belle boss Dominic Surace told Daily Mail Australia it was parting ways with Kowalczyk and was unaware she was facing criminal charges until her mutual departure. .

“Shortly after her appointment, communications with her ceased, eventually leading to revelations that Victoria Police had attended her home and seized both her personal and work mobile phones,” Mr Surace said.

Kowalczyk claimed that police were investigating an ex-boyfriend and insisted she had not engaged in any wrongdoing.

“Subsequent developments revealed that the police investigation was linked to allegations of fraud….”

Mr Surace, who also runs Elite Showcase Modeling Agency, where Kowalczyk was a director, said the company was doing everything it could to support the suspected scammer’s “dream job”.

“Unfortunately, despite this extensive support and the time invested in assisting Kowalczyk, the company feels a deep sense of disappointment,” he said.

“This situation has fueled feelings of disrespect for Kowalczyk, but also led to dishonesty, threats and betrayal.

“Nevertheless, the company has made significant progress in several areas since Kowalczyk’s departure, and we are very optimistic about the bright and promising future ahead.”

Kowalczyk, from Gowanbrae in Melbourne’s northwest, and Dhaliwal, from Mulgrave in the city’s southeast, will appear in court at later dates.