Australian Conman Extradited Over Alleged Fraud Involving $1.2M in Bitcoin
Sydney, Australia (Taras Vyshnya/Shutterstock)
After a dramatic arrest, an Australian serial conman has been extradited to New South Wales to face fraud charges involving over $1 million in bitcoin.
- A Tuesday report by The Sydney Morning Herald said Peter Foster had been escorted by detectives to Sydney, NSW, from Queensland where he had been arrested last Thursday.
- Foster was tackled by undercover police pretending to be early morning joggers on a Port Douglas beach in the northern state.
- After an investigation that kicked off in June, police alleged that from April last year Foster masqueraded under the false name Bill Dawson and scammed victim Konstantinos Stylianopoulos.
- Stylianopoulos had entrusted bitcoin to Foster who then allegedly transferred it to his own account at the Australia-based crypto exchange Independent Reserve.
- The fraud netted Foster 1.73 million Australian dollars (US$1.24 million)-worth of bitcoin in transactions of between $125,000 and $890,000 on multiple occasions.
- Foster has been described as a career criminal, having previously spent time in jail in Australia, the U.K., the U.S., and Vanuatu for fraud-related crimes.
- Paul Dunstan, the Sydney City Police area commander detective acting superintendent, noted Foster’s repeat offenses and said Foster was “a significant fraud offender.”
- The charges relating to his arrest include five counts of publishing false and misleading material to obtain advantage and 10 counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.
- He is also being charged with knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime with intent to conceal, according to the Herald.
- On Tuesday, Foster’s legal representation appeared in Sydney’s Central Local Court via video link opting not to apply for bail. The case will return to court on Oct. 22.
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