Lachlan Morganti, 26, has been sentenced to 400 hours of community service after admitting to stealing over $64,000 from a GoFundMe fundraiser meant to assist the family of Hannah McGuire, a woman who was allegedly murdered.
In September, Morganti pleaded guilty to one charge of theft, confessing to redirecting funds raised for McGuire’s grieving family into his own bank account. The money was intended to cover funeral costs and other expenses following McGuire’s tragic death in April, when her body was discovered in a burnt-out car in Scarsdale, Victoria.
The fundraiser, set up by Morganti with the McGuire family’s consent, raised $64,541, far surpassing its $20,000 target. Morganti, who had a gambling addiction, transferred the full amount to his account, only to gamble it away within five days. Not a single dollar reached McGuire’s family.
Magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz emphasized that Morganti’s actions led to a betrayal of trust and worsened the grief of McGuire’s family, forcing them to relive their trauma.
During sentencing, Morganti expressed regret, stating he never intended for the situation to escalate to this point. “I’m incredibly sorry,” he said outside the court, acknowledging the harm caused to the McGuire family, who had already been through so much.
The McGuire family, who did not request the fundraiser, released a statement expressing their relief that the case had concluded. They noted that they could now fully focus on honoring the memory of their daughter.
This case highlights the tragic exploitation of a community’s generosity and the devastating impact of gambling addiction.
