Nathan Ferguson: Truckie caught with the largest pile of illegal cash in Australian history learns his fate in court after making ‘the worst decision of my life’
A truck driver caught with the largest stash of illicit cash in Australian history has been sentenced to three years and three months in prison after admitting it was ‘the worst decision of my life’.
Nathan Ferguson, 54, appeared in the WA District Court on Tuesday charged with receiving, possessing, concealing, disposing of or dealing with money believed to be the proceeds of crime.
He was arrested by Western Australia police in November 2020 in Coolgardie, 550km east of Perth, in a truck carrying more than $13 million.
More than half of the money was hidden in a water tank, while the rest was in a cardboard box hidden in the wall of the vehicle. Western Australian reported.
Ferguson was released shortly after his arrest but was subsequently extradited from NSW to WA in October 2022, charged with delivering $6,059,181.
Ferguson received a slightly lesser sentence because the prosecution could not prove he played a role in loading the money or that he knew the larger amount was in the water tank.
Truck driver Nathan Ferguson (pictured right), who was caught with the largest stash of illegal cash in Australian history, was sentenced on Tuesday
Ferguson was arrested by Western Australia police in November 2020 in Coolgardie, 550 km east of Perth, in a truck carrying more than $13 million (some of the cash is pictured)
The court heard Ferguson suffered a series of losses, including the destruction of his home in a bushfire and the death of a friend in a workplace accident.
These were given as reasons behind the downward spiral that led to him transporting millions of dollars across the country for an organized crime ring.
Ferguson would receive $50,000 for transferring the millions of dollars, a fee that Judge Mark Ritter said was of “some significance” and demonstrated a “degree of trust” placed in him by the criminals who hired him.
“It also indicates that you were to some extent aware of the criminal enterprise involved.”
The judge took into account Ferguson’s guilty plea, remorse, isolation from his family, mental health issues and efforts to rehabilitate himself during sentencing.
Judge Ritter also accepted that the truck driver had told a psychologist why he became involved in the criminal enterprise and that in a letter to the court he apologized for what he had done, saying it was the “worst decision he had ever made ‘.
The loss of his home to a bushfire has left Ferguson in financial trouble and has also led to his estrangement from his daughter, who accused him of failing to pay the insurance premium on the house.
The court also heard the truck driver suffers from depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder and has abused drugs in the past.
Police officers stand behind a table holding millions of dollars seized from a truck
Ferguson said in his apology letter that it hurt him to be away from his elderly mother, whom he had not seen since his arrest.
He said he was “ashamed and ashamed” of his actions and was lonely in prison because he could not see his partner, family and friends, who are all in the eastern states.
But the judge ruled that there was nothing exceptional about Ferguson’s circumstances and that a suspended sentence was not appropriate.
Ferguson will be eligible for parole after serving half of his term, which dates back to his arrest in October 2022, meaning he could be out next month.