Credit Fraudster Given Six Years
Illawarra Mercury
Friday March 18, 2005
FORMER Wollongong used car salesman John Galaxidis lived the high life on the illicit proceeds of one of the most extensive cases of identity theft ever discovered in Australia.
With former showman and hypnotist Gary Kilpatrick (aka Spellman), Galaxidis masterminded major credit card and loan scams that fooled some of the nation's biggest financial institutions.They used the names and credit card numbers of up to 44 people with large credit limits supplied by a former bank employee.Armed with the names they went on a spending spree in which $50,000 in goods and services - from expensive white goods to takeaway pizzas - were obtained from businesses in the Wollongong area.But it didn't stop there.A million-dollar Byron Bay home, a Porsche and luxury goods were all part of a fraud ring set up by Kilpatrick and Galaxidis that illegally netted millions of dollars over a four-year period. They created a false financial identity for an accomplice, painting him as a high-powered oil industry executive. The gang's activities were detected after police placed taps on two mobile phones owned by Galaxidis, whom they correctly suspected of being a drug dealer operating in Wollongong nightclubs.His fall from grace began when he sold 20g of methyl amphetamine to an undercover police officer.Later, police raids on the luxury Byron Bay property uncovered damning evidence of large-scale fraudulent activity. Late last year, Wollongong District Court judge Joe Phelan sentenced Wollongong-born Spellman to a total of seven years' jail for his key role in the fraud.Yesterday, it was John Galaxidis turn to face the music. Judge Phelan heard that 38-year-old Galaxidis, of Stockwell Place, Figtree, turned to crime to support his family and business and finance a lengthy legal action stemming from a bitter financial feud with his parents, which is now headed for the High Court.He told Galaxidis he accepted that such pressures had significantly affected his life and that if he could overcome his problems with drugs and alcohol the likelihood of him reoffending would be slim.Judge Phelan said while the loan and credit card scams were carefully planned, it was only a matter of time before Galaxidis' activities would be uncovered, particularly those centred in Wollongong.He sentenced Galaxidis to a total of six years in jail on a raft of fraud charges.The sentence was backdated to June 10 last year - the date of his arrest.The former high-flyer showed little emotion as he was led away.Galaxidis will be eligible for parole on December 9, 2008.
© 2005 Illawarra Mercury
