A Wollongong real estate agent has fronted court for the first time after being charged with 27 offences for the alleged misappropriation of more than $480,000.
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Hakan Kutup, formerly of Century 21 Ultimate Wollongong, had a brief appearance in Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday.
Police allege Kutup, 53, made false documents that claimed he had sold numerous properties and as a result would be entitled to the commission.
The false documents included photo-shopped emails and letterheads purported to be made from solicitors and conveyancers located in the Illawarra, police allege.
They also include fabricated contracts of sales, fabricated agency agreement documents, false signatures and false bank deposits, police allege.
The documents were allegedly submitted to Paidonexchange Pty Ltd - a business that, for a fee, provides real estate agents their entitled commissions from the property up front, removing the need for the real estate agent to wait up to 12 weeks for the settlement.
As a result Kutup "made a total financial advantage of $263,755", police say.
In August this year, Lake Illawarra detectives, with the assistance of the Office of Fair Trading, commenced an investigation into Kutup's actions.
Police allege they also uncovered that Kutup misappropriated funds from a Sale Trust Account to the amount of $220,515.
Kutup did not enter any pleas and will return to court on November 26.
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