Extravagant shopping list of ‘accidental multimillionaire’
A Malaysian woman who is currently facing fraud charges after it’s alleged she was mistakenly transferred $4.6 million by Westpac and then tried to flee Australia has now had her ‘extravagant’ shopping list revealed.
Christine Jia Xin Lee had been living in Sydney for a year and was 17 when Westpac made the expensive error in 2012.
She was nabbed trying to leave Australia on Wednesday night, still owing $3.3 million after allegedly purchasing "luxury items" taking advantage of the mistakenly extended overdraft.
According to various reports she has allegedly spent vast amounts of the money on designer handbags, clothes, jewellery, mobile phones, a "selfie" camera and even a deluxe vacuum cleaner.
Court documents obtained by Fairfax Media reveal the long list of transactions allegedly made by the now 21-year-old.
In some instances Fairfax reports, the third-year chemical engineering student would visit up to five Sydney designer boutiques in a day and on one instance reportedly spent a jaw-dropping $310,000.
In bankruptcy documents filed in the Federal Circuit Court last year, Westpac outlined about 79 items and a further 50 store transactions they believe were made according to online reports.
Lee allegedly used a PayPal account to buy 52 items including a Sony "digital selfie" camera, two Casio cameras, a Dyson vacuum cleaner, Christian Louboutin "Equestrian boots", Chanel cashmere pillows, two smartphones, 13 Hermes scarves and dozens of handbags, including a Hermes Himalayan Crocodile Birkin that retails for about $150,000.
Lee, 21 from Rhodes, was attempting to fly to Malaysia when she was picked up by Australian Federal Police at Sydney Airport after a warrant for her arrest was issued in March.
She appeared at Waverley Local Court on Thursday charged with dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime.
But Magistrate Lisa Stapleton was not convinced with the latter charge and granted her bail.
"It's not proceeds of crime. It's money we all dream about," she told the court on Thursday.
"She didn't take it from them. They gave it to her."
Court documents revealed Ms Lee is alleged to have committed the offences on multiple occasions between July 2014 and March 2015.
The court heard she knew police were attempting to make contact with her and she obtained an emergency Malaysian passport in order to leave the country.
It is also alleged she failed to notify the bank that she was not entitled to the money.
She was granted bail for $1000 and faces strict bail conditions, with Ms Stapleton agreeing with the prosecution that her attempts to flee Australia meant that she posed a flight risk.
Lee, who claimed to have obtained the emergency passport because she had lost her original, will not be allowed to enter any international airport or port.
She has to report to police twice daily and is also not allowed to apply for another passport.
Lee, who is currently deferred from her chemical engineering studies, has lived in Australia for five years and lives with her boyfriend, also a student, in the city's west.
She is due to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on June 21.
News break - May 15
