Woman jailed three years for fake Australia jobs scheme

A woman has been sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to falsely advertising an unlicensed Australian recruitment service and obtaining $3,650 from a customer in 2014.

Priteshni Chand appeared before Suva Magistrate Warleen George today.

She was charged with one count each of accepting payment without being able to supply as ordered, misleading conduct, and publishing a false or misleading advertisement.

The court heard that on May 9 and July 21, 2014, Chand advertised Australian recruitment services in a newspaper, claiming the business could help people obtain work visas and secure employment in Australia.

The victim, Waisake Ratubalavu, followed the company’s instructions and paid a total of $3,950. However, despite making several follow-ups over the following months, he did not receive his visa or passport.

During an inquiry by Fiji Commerce Commission officers, Chand claimed that a man named Alvin Sagar was responsible for arranging the work visas.

She acknowledged an agreement with Ratubalavu under which visa processing was expected to take between three and six months.

Chand also claimed she had checked with the Australian Embassy and discovered that the applications were not in its system.

The court heard that there was no tariff for the offence, but the maximum fine was $25,000.

In sentencing, the court noted that Chand had 13 previous convictions for similar offences, for which she had received fines.

The court also noted that she had only begun compensating Ratubalavu on June 30, making a payment of $2,300. The outstanding balance was $1,650.

Magistrate George ordered Chand to pay the victim a further $2,600 through a payment voucher.

Chand will be eligible for parole after serving two years and six months of her sentence.