Scammer says he stole $120k to ‘fit in with gay scene’

An Australian man has been sentenced over an insurance scam that made him over $120,000 to fund his lifestyle on the “gay scene”. 

Victoria’s Country Court sentenced Dwayne Antojado to time served after he pleaded guilty to obtaining property by deception, NCA NewsWire reported. The court deferred his sentence last year in order to show he had been rehabilitated.

The now 26-year-old already served 609 days, and judge Kellie Blair described Antojado’s turnaround in that time as “exceptional”.

Blair added that Antojado had “demonstrated ongoing rehabilitative achievements”, and the man was “free to continue your life as a law-abiding citizen who has a significant contribution to make to this community”.

Antojado pleaded guilty to using 109 fake identities to open accounts with insurance company Medibank between October 2018 and December 2019, Star Observer reported.

He then used these accounts to lodge multiple fake claims to exploit a loophole in an online claim system that didn’t require receipts. 

Police discovered the fraud after arresting Antojado on unrelated charges in 2019, and Antojado had managed to swindle $120,901 in total. 

The court heard that Antojado used the money to buy drugs, flashy clothes and to visit clubs in Melbourne. 

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