Chiral Posted October 5, 2009 LINK AN elderly Catholic priest was conned into handing over nearly $500,000 to a drug-using gambler, a court has heard. Using fake documents and sad stories, Olivia Raymond convinced 83-year-old Father Paul Kane to hand over nearly $400,000 from accounts belonging to St Matthew's Parish in the north Melbourne suburb of North Fawkner. She also conned the priest out of nearly $50,000 of his own money - much of his life savings. Raymond used excuses including that her mother had died and that she had had cancer surgery. She told her "vulnerable" and "unworldly" victim she would soon obtain a cheque for $360,000. Her mother sat in the Victorian County Court today as Raymond pleaded guilty to five counts of obtaining property by deception and one of making a false document. The money, which she stole over a period of approximately two years, was used for gambling and drugs. Victoria's chief Crown Prosecutor Gavin Silbert, SC, asked Judge Howard Mason to jail Raymond, 31, of Epping, for between three and five years. He said the priest was a "very vulnerable" and unworldly elderly man. "She has clearly managed to take him for one very large ride," Mr Silbert said. Mr Silbert said in 2005 Raymond went to the parish door upset and asking for cash. She was given $20 by the priest. Raymond returned and began regularly asking for cash. Mr Silbert said she told the priest if he did not keep giving her money he would not see any of it back. She told the priest she had a debt to pay to her ex-husband and unless the priest continued to pay her she would not pay him back. Raymond received $197,000 from an account containing proceeds from hire of the church hall and $107,000 from an account the priest opened in 1965 that contained money from parishioners. She also wrote notes to the priest asking for money. In one note she wrote: "Three guys have tortured my life. They broke into my house and trashed it." In another she said: "Father Paul, I understand what you have said about no cash in accounts. I have broken promise after promise to you. I am aware of the figure please trust me." She urged him to give her $8,500 and put an end to it: "I will never knock on your door again". Raymond's lawyer Chris McLennan said his client had not hidden any of the money away, but spent it on gambling and drugs. He conceded Raymond would be sentenced to immediate imprisonment. "Your Honour there is obviously no prospect of the money ever being repaid," he said. Judge Mason said the offending might be described as "particularly callous acts". He remanded Raymond, who is also known as Melissa Edgell, in custody to be sentenced at a date to be fixed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FancyPants Posted October 6, 2009 What. A. BITCH. I hope the hardarse Catholic prison moles give her a real riding. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyAmine. Posted October 6, 2009 Sinister Apples!!!! Talk about some bad karma... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chiral Posted October 6, 2009 What. A. BITCH.I hope the hardarse Catholic prison moles give her a real riding. Perhaps the Church could recoup it's lost money by charging people to come and witness said hardcore catholic mole riding...I would for sure..!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Smiling Cloud Posted October 6, 2009 I have hard time feeling sorry for anyone involved in the catholic church. Every time a priest rapes a child the catholic church tries to cover it up. Yet if if there is a gay priest he is ostracized. Also, what is this man doing embezzling funds? It doesn't even sound like she conned him, just asked for the cash. What probably happened in the end is that some higher up authority asked where all the cash is and he dobbed her in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FancyPants Posted October 7, 2009 ^^^ That could well possibly be true. But it could also be equally as true that he was just an honest old man true to his faith who no doubt grappled with the knowledge that he might be doing something wrong, in order to help save this woman and her mother. ROFL @ Chiral. No doubt they'd recoup much more than the 300-odd K if they sold it on the web. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kindness Posted October 18, 2009 Maybe the priest was trying to repent for previous sins. Like being born. no sympathy here... peace Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
