Abdel ghadia’s dream turned into a legal nightmare when he spent a couple’s house payment that was mistakenly transferred to his account.
In a twist of fate that many might fantasize about, Abdel Ghadia found himself suddenly wealthy in 2021 when AU $760,000 (approximately US $493,000) was mistakenly transferred into his account. The funds were intended for a Sydney couple’s home purchase, but a banking error led to Ghadia’s unexpected windfall. Instead of reporting the mistake, he embarked on an extravagant spending spree, a decision that would ultimately lead to his imprisonment.
The recipients of the misdirected funds were renowned nutritionist Tara Thorne and her husband Corey, who were in the final stages of buying a property. Their conveyancer was left puzzled when the substantial payment failed to reach the intended account, prompting an investigation that would unravel Ghadia’s short-lived luxury.
Ghadia, an aspiring rapper, initially claimed ignorance about the source of the funds, telling police he “just woke up and saw the money” and had no idea how it got there. Despite his confusion, he wasted no time in indulging in a lavish lifestyle, starting with a significant investment in gold. Over several visits to the ABC Bullion store, he purchased gold bars ranging from 10oz to 1kg, spending a total of $598,188. His gold-buying spree didn’t stop there; he also acquired a 500g gold bullion and 10oz bar from Ainslie Bullion in Queensland and $48,222 worth of gold KHC coins.
Ghadia’s extravagant purchases extended beyond precious metals. He ventured into the international money market, buying $14,490 in foreign exchange, and withdrew $13,600 in cash from ATMs around Sydney. His shopping spree continued with a $6,235 splurge on clothing from Uniqlo and JD Sports, as well as makeup from MECCA at Westfield Parramatta.
However, Ghadia’s dream quickly turned into a nightmare when he was arrested and charged with two counts of dealing with the proceeds of crime. His desire to “give gold” to someone he “loved” led to an 18-month jail sentence, serving as a cautionary tale about the consequences of misusing accidentally received funds.
