A MARRIED couple who claimed more than $80,000 from government authorities by billing for medical treatment they never provided, committed a ''calculated fraud'' over three years, a magistrate has found. Psychologist Sandra Nguyen, 36, and her osteopath husband Giuliano De Antonis, 42, received payments from WorkSafe Victoria and the Transport Accident Commission for more than 700 fake consultations at their Seddon practice between 2006 and 2009.
Immigration records showed they were overseas, including in Hawaii, when supposedly treating clients.
Nguyen and De Antonis each pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates Court yesterday to 18 charges including obtaining financial advantage by deception.
Nguyen falsely claimed to have conducted 396 WorkSafe and 26 TAC consultations, billing the authorities for $50,684 and $14,770 respectively. De Antonis received $12,400 for 282 WorkSafe consultations, and $2797 for 23 TAC consultations.
WorkSafe senior prosecutor Patrick McQuillen said the well-educated, professional couple had stolen from ''the public purse'' and breached the trust placed in them under the state's insurance scheme for injured workers.
Ian Crisp, for Nguyen and De Antonis, said the couple made full admissions when interviewed last month and had since repaid all the money to the authorities despite their ''perilous financial situation''.
The couple told investigators they had debts of $1.7 million.
Mr Crisp said they were remorseful and had placed their valuable practices in jeopardy, since they would now face hearings before professional bodies that regulate their professions.
He urged magistrate Dan Muling not to interfere with the couple's ability to service their debt and provide for their two children, aged 6 months and 3 years.
Mr Muling said the couple were clearly ''shattered'' by what had occurred but he did not accept they had simply made an error of judgment. ''It is calculated fraud,'' he said. ''You have let yourselves down and your family down.''
Mr Muling convicted Nguyen and De Antonis and placed them each on a 15-month community-based order, including psychological treatment and 100 hours of community work.
WCV's: This is clearly Worksafe Provider Favoritism because if this was an injured worker they would be in prison not on a community based order. This shows that if you have enough money you can buy your way out of anything.
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