A former Cootamundra accountant pleaded guilty in Cootamundra Local Court last Friday to embezzling $31,254 from seven animal rescue groups between 2015 and 2017.
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Heather Maree Grace, 49, pleaded guilty through her solicitor to seven counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.
She also pleaded guilty to insurance fraud of $23,900 in relation to a crash in which she falsely claimed she was the driver.
Police documents tendered to the court state that Ms Grace had contacted the groups personally or through Facebook, initially offering her accounting services for free.
After some time, police said, Ms Grace started charging her clients 5 per cent of the total amount of tax for each organisation.
Then, after claiming GST rebates on behalf of the rescue groups, she started to have refunds from the Australian Taxation Office directed to her own bank account.
The animal rescue groups affected and the amounts for which they are seeking compensation are Cheltenham Cat Rescue ($8363), TLC Rescue ($189), Sweet Shepherd Rescue ($5483), Maneki Neko Cat Rescue ($11,164), Dogue de Bordeaux ($2473) Animal rescue Appeal ($2849) and Sydney Animal Rescue ($733).
At the time of the offences, Ms Grace was operating her business, Been Accounting, in Cooper Street, Cootamundra.
In the early hours of June 9, 2017 a fire broke out at the premises, destroying the financial records inside. Police launched strike force Noarlunga to investigate.
Police documents tendered to the court state the insurance fraud occurred in July and August 2017, when a Toyota Prado collided with a trailer being towed by a vehicle.
Ms Grace pleaded guilty to publishing false and misleading material to obtain advantage by falsely claiming she was the driver of the Prado, so that the insurance claim for $23,900 to repair damage to both the Prado and the trailer would be awarded by Red Star Insurance.
A police investigation revealed Ms Grace had been in Wagga at the time of the accident and could not have been the driver.
Magistrate Michael O'Brien adjourned the matter for sentencing at Cootamundra Local Court on May 6.
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