A Tasmanian kitchen hand who defrauded a Western Australian car dealership of more than $41,000 after his drug addiction drove him into financial desperation has been sentenced to nine months’ home detention.
Munir Suleiman, 27, altered finance documents while selling his 2016 Ford Mustang on Gumtree, diverting funds meant for Toyota Finance into his own bank account.
The Supreme Court of Tasmania heard Suleiman developed his drug habit while working night shifts in security, which left him struggling to keep up with car loan repayments.
Justice Kate Cuthbertson described the February 2023 scam as “calculated”.
“You went to some lengths to perpetrate the fraud by altering documents to facilitate the payment of monies intended for a finance company to yourself,” Justice Cuthbertson said in her published comments.
Midland City Cars in Perth had agreed to buy the Mustang for $39,000, arranging to pay $36,543 directly to Toyota Finance to clear the loan and the remaining $2,456 to Suleiman.
But Suleiman falsified the payout figure – reducing it from the actual $50,269 – and swapped the bank details for his own ANZ account.
After the car was shipped to Perth and sold for $47,990, Toyota Finance’s encumbrance came to light.
Suleiman promised to settle the outstanding amount within days but failed to do so and stopped taking calls. The dealership was left to cover the $50,269 owed to Toyota Finance, leaving them $41,279 out of pocket.
Defence lawyers pushed for a community-based sentence, citing Suleiman’s early guilty plea, lack of prior offences and the fact he supports his mother, who is on a disability pension and struggles with depression and anxiety.
Justice Cuthbertson said jail time was warranted but opted for home detention to support rehabilitation. However, she noted Suleiman had made no effort to repay the money.
“There appears to be little prospect of you being able to pay that money at any time in the immediate future,” she said.
Under the sentence, Suleiman must wear an electronic monitoring bracelet, stay home between 9pm and 9am and complete 75 hours of community service.
He must also pay $41,279 in compensation to the dealership.
