Melbourne Woman Accused of $1.4 Million Legal Salary Fraud
A Melbourne woman has been accused of fraudulently obtaining more than $1.4 million in salary by working as a lawyer without holding any legitimate degrees or professional qualifications. The woman, whose identity remains suppressed by court order for legal reasons, appeared in court on Monday facing serious allegations.
Alleged Deception Spanning Multiple Years
Prosecutors detailed how the woman allegedly secured $1,428,085 in total compensation across several Melbourne law firms between 2019 and 2025. The court heard that she repeatedly told employers she had graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws from the University of Melbourne in 2008. Furthermore, she falsely claimed to be an Australian Legal Practitioner operating under the Legal Profession Uniform Law.
Investigations subsequently revealed the woman possessed neither a law degree nor a valid practising certificate. Despite opposition from both prosecutors and media representatives, the court has maintained suppression orders covering both the woman's name and the specific firms where she allegedly worked.
Detailed Breakdown of Alleged Financial Gains
The fraudulent activity allegedly occurred in multiple distinct phases:
- January 2019 to August 2021: $543,446 obtained through misrepresentation of qualifications and practising status
- September 2021 to March 2022: $125,693 secured via similar deceptive practices
- April to August 2022: $61,598 received while falsely claiming University of Melbourne credentials
- August to September 2022: $35,967 collected through continued qualification misrepresentation
- January 2023 to August 2025: $661,381 allegedly obtained - the largest single period of financial gain
Prosecutors emphasized that in every instance, the woman maintained the same false narrative about her educational background and professional standing.
Additional Charges and Professional Role
A sixth separate charge alleges the woman engaged in legal practice in Victoria while completely unqualified between December 2022 and August 2025. During this period, she allegedly performed duties as a Senior Legal Counsel - a position requiring extensive qualifications and experience.
Financial Crime Squad detectives arrested the woman last week following their investigation into the alleged fraud scheme. She has since been released on bail while legal proceedings continue.
The case is scheduled to return to court on March 25 for further hearings. The suppression orders remain in effect, preventing public identification of both the accused and the affected law firms despite media objections.
