Damien Luscombe was trusted by some of Australia's most well-known musicians and restaurateurs to oversee their day-to-day accounts and finances.
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But for 11 years, Luscombe abused that trust by transferring more than $2 million that should have gone into their bank accounts into his own.
The former partner and business manager at White Sky accounting firm admitted his crimes on Friday, facing the Victorian County Court to plead guilty to 12 charges.
Between September 2011 and September 2022, Luscombe made at least 337 false documents to facilitate 239 fraudulent transactions.
He would either doctor legitimate invoices or create fake ones with the billing bank details changed to his personal Commonwealth Bank account.
Luscombe also created false emails purporting to be from clients or their managers requesting payments, again using his personal bank account information.
His senior role meant only his signature was required to authorise the documents.
In total, Luscombe took $2,166,036.29 over the 11-year period.
His victims included performers Gotye, Angus and Julia Stone, and Peking Duk, as well as the owners of Melbourne restaurants Mr Miyagi and The Meatball and Wine Bar.
When one of his employees noticed a suspicious payment in or around October 2022, Luscombe told the worker, "I sorted it mate, I'll fill you in later".
But as other suspicious transactions appeared, the worker made a report to White Sky's managing director.
During a meeting with the company and lawyers on October 14, 2022, Luscombe admitted his crimes and detailed how he undertook the offending.
He made similar concessions when he was arrested and charged by police in March 2023.
Luscombe read a letter to officers, telling them the millions he stole funded his gambling addiction and he was "deeply embarrassed and ashamed".
His barrister Christopher Carr echoed those lines on Friday, telling the court Luscombe was remorseful for his crimes and the impact it had on the victims.
The court was told some of the affected restaurateurs had to sell their businesses and homes to make ends meet while Luscombe pocketed millions.
Peking Duk's Adam Hyde and Reuben Styles spoke about the feeling of being "robbed blind" while already struggling because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I feel completely lost and betrayed," Mr Hyde said in a statement read to the court.
Wally De Backer, who goes by the stage name Gotye, said Luscombe had caused him a great deal of personal stress.
"All that said, I forgive Damien and I hope he can find more interesting and productive things to do in the future," Mr De Backer's statement read.
Mr Carr told the court Luscombe had so far paid about $44,000 in restitution and he would follow any compensation orders made in the future.
The 38-year-old had not gambled since October 2022 and was still undergoing treatment for his addiction, including regular sessions with a psychologist.
Mr Carr conceded a jail term was the only appropriate sentence but he said Luscombe had genuinely good prospects of rehabilitation once released.
Luscombe was addressing his addiction, had found new employment as a warehouse assistant and he was supported by his family and friends, Mr Carr said.
Prosecutor Edwina Dane noted Luscombe had committed similar offending in 2010, to which he was given a good behaviour bond without conviction.
He started employment at White Sky 15 days after that 2010 court appearance so Judge George Georgiou should prioritise specific deterrence and denunciation in sentencing, Ms Dane said.
Judge Georgiou adjourned sentence to March 27 but remanded Luscombe in custody, noting a jail term was the only option.
Australian Associated Press
