Lavish lifestyle: WA office worker facing jail after stealing $2 million from Fremantle law firm

By On May 18, 2021

A glamorous former law firm faces jail after admitting that her unsuspecting employer pulled over $ 2 million.

The money Maria Gloria Camarda stole from escrow accounts at the Fremantle law firm she worked for was used to satisfy her own greed and fund a lavish lifestyle, police said.

Details of the cheating of the tattooed 48-year-old, in which she pleaded guilty of theft as a servant last month, can be revealed for the first time today.

Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Potter, officer in charge of Major Fraud Squad, said Camarda was the head of office practice at the company that reported the matter to police last year.

A total of $ 2.1 million was stolen from two escrow accounts. In her role, Camarda has immediate access to those funds, he said. The funds were stolen from 2007 to 2015.

Sen-Sgt Potter said Camarda spent her illicit profits on lifestyle expenses, clothing, bills, her mortgage and gambling in Crown Perth.

He didn’t know if the stolen money was going to be used for cosmetic procedures.

“During that time, she only paid herself additional wages,” he said.

“Obviously she had worked there for a while and they trusted her and at some point she decided it was too easy (to cheat on her).

“You just have to be careful with only one person doing these things. There has to be someone reviewing the examiner.”

Her Facebook page shows that she visited Las Vegas three years ago and lists her employer as the American fast food chain Hooters.

Camarda’s Instagram page features the West Coast Eagles fan partying in clubs and events, cozying up with Ben Cousins and other famous footballers like Nic Naitanui, Matthew Pavlich, Sam Newman, Jonathan Brown, Andrew Gaff, Matthew Priddis and Taylor “Tex” take photos. Walker and Steve Johnson. She also appeared on the Street Talk segment of the Footy Show with Sam Newman.

Camarda attorney Ian Farquhar declined to comment, except to confirm that his client was guilty of the two fraud allegations and would likely be convicted later that year. Your former employer also declined to comment.

After the Sunday Times tried to contact Camarda, their Facebook page was removed.

Camarda will perform for the first time in Perth District Court next month. The maximum penalty for theft as a servant is 10 years in prison.