Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Pathological [Cambodian-Australian] gambler jailed for five years

March 03, 2010
Mark Oberhardt
CourierMail.com.au

A PATHOLOGICAL gambler who conned her friends out of about $340,000 in a fraudulent investment scheme was jailed for five years today.

Mother-of-two Angela Bamford, who has been excluded from all three Queensland casinos, used various means to defraud six complainants over a two-year period from May 2005 to May 2007.

The District Court in Brisbane heard Cambodian-born Bamford had experienced a life of slavery and abuse dating back to when she was sent to a Khmer Rouge labour camp at age six.

However, Judge Kerry O'Brien said Bamford was a "deceitful" person and it was "extraordinary" that she was able to convince people to give her such large amounts of money.

He sentenced Bamford to five years' jail and set her parole eligibility date at November 3, next year.

Bamford, 41, pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud and three counts of aggravated fraud.

Prosecutor Dennis Kinsella said Bamford formed relationships with people and convinced them she had inside information on investments which could return high profits.

He said they included building schemes in Canada and New Zealand, and property investments on the Gold Coast.

She had also made claims about assisting people in getting Australian visas.

Mr Kinsella said in all Bamford had received about $340,000 which she had gambled away or spent on an $80,000 car.

He said when some victims indicated they would complain to police Bamford had made threats against them.

Barrister Leon Ackermann, for Bamford, said a psychiatric report showed his client was a "pathological gambler" who had started out small to "escape" from a bad marriage.

He said Bamford had been abused since she was a child when forced to work in Khmer Rouge work camp at age six.

Mr Ackermann said Bamford needed assistance to overcome her gambling addiction.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Who is she? What's her real khmer name?

Anonymous said...

Don't care that much about, because she is not a Khmer or Cambodian.

Anonymous said...

Do not invest or do busines with gambler, fools!!!

Anonymous said...

what kind of people that trust gambler?....gamblers they are smart in solving and managing problems that come at their face until they find themself in a hole then they're no longer smart.

Anonymous said...

What sort of abuse that she had in khmer rouge? Many have suffered but coped with circumstances.
What a crook!!!.
Cambodian Australian SA