Internet scammer gets jail term in Australia
Publish date: 10 November 2004
Issue Number: 1055
Diary: Legalbrief eLaw
Category: Cybercrime
Nick Marinellis, the Australian mastermind of an international Internet scam that fleeced victims of $5m has been jailed for more than four years, reports The Australian.
He pleaded guilty to 10 counts of fraud and one of perverting the course of justice over the so-called Nigerian or 419 scam. Marinellis set up a site to con victims into believing they could claim millions of dollars through lottery winnings, an inheritance or a business opportunity but first they needed to send off money to cover \'expenses\'. Marinellis worked with \'unknown African males\' to target victims in Australia and other parts of the world. Police have managed to confiscate $1.5m of Marinelli\'s assets, which would be placed in the NSW Victims\' Compensation Fund. Full report in The Australian
