By Jessica Shackleton
Mary Mercedes Lea’aetoa, a former ANZ employee in Western Australia, was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to 31 charges of stealing as a servant and uttering a forged record. Lea’aetoa, 26, had withdrawn $56,596 from the account of a 63-year-old pensioner over a span of nine months using forged withdrawal vouchers.
The victim, who is in palliative care, initially did not notice the unauthorized withdrawals, which ranged from $600 to $5,000. When she sought help from ANZ, she discovered the extensive theft. Prosecutors revealed that Lea’aetoa used the stolen funds to purchase items such as a new iPhone, which the court described as driven by “greed” rather than need.
Defence lawyer Sonia Anderson argued that Lea’aetoa was under financial pressure, required to support her family with food and alcohol purchases. However, Judge Belinda Lonsdale dismissed the idea of a suspended sentence, citing the “repeated nature” of the theft, the breach of trust, and the substantial amount of money stolen.
ANZ dismissed Lea’aetoa following an internal investigation, which led to the police being notified. A spokesperson for the bank confirmed that the victim had been reimbursed. Lea’aetoa will be eligible for parole in July 2025.
